Never Forget, Never Forgive
by StormRider974
Summary: Twenty years after Eragon Shadeslayer left for the unknown in the east, the madness of a man is about to lead Alagaësia in a new war. Eragon is forced to return home, and he will have to fight again, to kill, and finally to face the death of many people including some of his friends. Helped by his fellow Riders and his friends in Alagaësia, will he be able to face this new threat?
1. Prologue : Sounds of War

Prologue: Sounds of war

The light of the sun shone brightly in the throne room of the castle of Borromeo, in the middle of Aberon. On the huge throne, full of gildings, gems and velvet, sat a man. He was tall, well built, and was wearing an impressive amount of dark and orange robes, considering the suffocating heat in the castle. On his head rested a golden crown, incrusted with jewels. He could be considered as handsome, except for the long scar on his face, which ran from his right temple to his left cheek, and except for the look of bitter and hatred he had when he was thinking.

He had been on the throne of Surda for two years, since the death of his pathetic predecessor and father, Orrin. That little dog of Nasuada once had shown the fangs when the High Queen had been elected and since then he had been a servile ally of Lady Nightstalker, like the Urgals named her.

 _His death was useful, although not painful enough for everything we had to endure because of his weakness_ he thought bitterly. _I'll have to thank Custelo and her mysterious hirer for wad they did accomplish for both our country and our cause._

Indeed, the death of Orrin had not been natural. The common knowledge was that he died of a strange and unknown disease, but his son knew the real cause for the death of his sire. He had been poisoned, by one of the impressively efficient mixtures of a well-known herbalist and additionally poison crafter, Custelo. Those who knew what she was secretly doing feared her, and even those who didn't couldn't help but shiver at the sight of this little old woman with hair grey like the greyest iron and a face wrinkled like nothing else known. The new king of Surda met her once, and he had uneasy memories of that encounter, and the unease and fear of that moment was only overtaken by the memory of another encounter, with a man having hair and eyes of a strange, red colour. Well, thinking of it twice, that encounter had also been painful.

 _Outside of the city, two weeks after the crowning of the new Surdan King, a black form was approaching at an impressing pace, far faster than a fast human. Alerted by his guards, the son of Orrin walked towards the doors of the city, and asked his guards to stay at the door, while he would be going to meet the man. After again fifty minutes walking in the burning heat of the sun, he met the potential ally running. He was tall, with crimson shoulder-length hair, blood-red eyes, and his face was pale like snow. His whole body shook slightly with hatred, at everything it seemed, and also as if it was too much full of power. He was dressed in a black robe, with black leather boots, and at his side hung a scabbard from which appeared the hilt of a bone-white, terrifying sword. He began to speak, showing his pointy teeth through his white lips._

" _We are Mulzraug. We cannot say "nice to meet you" since it is obviously not. You are incredibly bold to meet a Shade and ask him to work with you, King of Surda."_

" _Does it displease you? If you work with me, you will kill and have much more blood than you ever dreamed of." He replied, trying to hide his fear of the being in front of him_

 _It seemed that he did not succeed completely, since the Shade smiled, showing his teeth in their full horror._

" _It's a lot", he said, still grinning_

" _I know, but we both agree that the peace set up during that twenty last years is a heresy, and that I want the throne of Illirea for…"He trailed off._

" _You?" Said the Shade, and he let out a cold, maniacal and terrifying laugh._

" _Or you if you wish so!"_

 _The Shade seemed to think for a while, even if the obvious fear of the King at his last words was funny. Then, he looked at the King again, and hit him with his sword with a movement impossibly and inhumanly fast, causing the blood to pour out of the wound on face of the King, who was rolling on the ground because of the pain. The scar extended from the temple to the cheek. Then, licking the blood on his sword, the Shade said:_

" _I will help you"_

The memory caused a new flow of pain on the face of the King. He cursed mentally and fully awoken from his reverie when he heard the noise of an explosion. He got up, and went to the window, but he saw nothing. He decided that it was unimportant and looked down to admire the city instead. Just under him, hundreds of soldiers were training to the sword, the bow, or the axe. Thousand more, he knew, were already trained and waiting for his order to march on Alagaësia to conquer the capital and the throne. The last problem he had to deal with was the actual High Queen, Nasuada, for she had the power to make all the races of Alagaësia unite together, and he was sure that no one else could be capable of such a feat. With Nasuada unable to command, he had greater chances to win. And his men were already taking care of her.

A young page appeared in the throne room and announced

"General Mulzraug, the magicians Orgaft and Argaft, and their prisoner!"

The Shade entered the room, followed by a man and a woman, obviously brother and sister considering the similarity of their faces, who did hold between them a woman, only covered hastily with a blanket. Not showing his surprise at the lack of clothing of his prisoner, he observed that she had lost consciousness. The two magicians also looked like they were about to faint, and the King noticed that they were as well dressed with different clothes than when they left, and they seemed to have dressed hastily.

 _I will have to ask them about it later_ He thought. Then he noticed something else. _The fools! They have lost their rings! What am I going to do with them?_

Finally arriving at the feet of their King, they let fall the woman, revealing her dark skin and hair.


	2. Chapter 1: Doru Baeraa

**Author's note: Yay! I got my first review for my first fanfic ever yesterday, and it is a good one! I'm happy, oh yes I am :p . In the last chapter I don't know if everyone understood some of historical and cultural references: Custelo was for Locuste, a famous poisoner during the Roman Empire, and concerning the title of the fic, well, I'm a big fan of Arch Enemy and the title of their song did fit the plot pretty well, so… :p Now, I'm writing this to inform that my holidays are almost over, and after, I'll have to work VERY hard (if someone knows what is the "prépa" in France x) ), and considering this, and the others hobbies I have, I'll write only one or two hours a week, if not less, so you will not often have a new chapter, for this I'm sorry** **On the holidays it may be more often. But rest assured, I'll finish this if I can ^^.**

 **Well, time for the new chapter!** **Merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

Chapter 1: Doru Baeraa

"Faster, Dellienà! You are an elf, you are supposed to be faster and far superior to a human with your sword! Meclanor, it is good, but it could be far better! Remember what we learnt! See what you are looking at! Guess where will go her next blow, and prepare yourself to block or dodge it!"

The one who was speaking seemed to be an elf, with his pointed hears and slanted eyebrow, but he had a body which was not totally similar to those of the Fair Folk. While elves were usually slender even if extremely powerful, the man had a quite muscular body, looking much more like the body of a human than the one of an elf. He was dressed with a blue shirt and leather pants and boots, and at his waist he had a blue sword, with a sapphire embedded in the hilt. His hands were in front of him and on his left palm a silvery mark could be seen: this man was a Dragon Rider.

Eragon Shadeslayer was looking at the fight between a female elf and a male human, and that sight reminded him of a similar situation he found himself in, twenty years ago, in the dwarven city of Tronjheim, in the crater of Farthen Dûr. Though, he refused to keep thinking of it, since it reminded him of _her._ In twenty years, he had never been able to let _her_ go, not that he tried very much.

 _Oh, my poor Little One_ , a voice in his mind said, and a wave of compassion came from the entity. _Why do you keep dwelling on it? It's been twenty years! And it may be a hundred or a thousand years more until you see her again in person, if ever you see her! Why can't you move on? Why don't you want to move on?_

 _I don't know Saphira,_ he replied _, and you, did you move on from Firnen? Do you really think it is just that simple? If you remember well she was and still is a central part of my true name!_ Against his own will, anger started to flare in him

She didn't reply, and he felt the grief of the loss through his bond with his dragon.

 _I'm sorry Saphira, I didn't mean to be harsh,_ he said.

 _Don't worry Little One,_ was her reply, _after all those years it is still hard to let go those who were so dear to us._

It had been twenty years. Twenty years since he left. Three weeks after his departure on the _Talita_ , Eragon and the twenty-three elves who accompanied him met the end of the Edda River, and they arrived in the sea. Not knowing what they would find beyond this huge area of water, not knowing if they would find something, and after how much time they could possibly find it, they decided to land, and to search the perfect place on foot. Another reason to that decision is that they had to be able to come back in Alagaësia quickly should the need arise, and where they were now was already too far for many of the elves. They walked for only a week to the North before they discovered a magnificent place. Coming from the South of what was now known as Doru Baeraa, they arrived in a plain which was surrounded by a beautiful forest at the West and mountain range in the East. The perfect place to train Riders.

The Elves had named the forest Du Weldennuanen, or The Beautiful Forest, and the mountain range had been named Du Fells Varden, or The Warden Mountains, as they were so high (higher than those in the Spine) that they blocked the clouds coming from the sea, and the land was neither too humid nor too dry to live. The height of the mountains prevented as well possible foes from attacking them from the sea. The forest was smaller by far than Du Weldenvarden, and was not constituted of pines but of millenary oaks, and it was as beautiful as the most wonderful places in Ellesméra, which is why the forest was given this name.

During their first years in the area, Eragon, Saphira and the elves did explore their surroundings, and they found out a little clearing, where the most wonderful and unknown flowers were growing. One of the species of flowers did produce a powder similar to pollen, but with a golden color, and during the night, the flower blew that powder. Because of that phenomenon, every morning, and during the day, the glade appeared to be under a golden rain, which gave the place a surreal beauty.

In that clearing, they made another discover. Every tree, every flower, every square inch of grass did smell a divine scent, different for each person. To Eragon, the clearing had a delicate perfume of pine needles. That particular clearing became the favourite resting and meditation place of the Lead Rider. It was called Du Äenora clayrdër vanyal, The Large magical clearing.

The Mountains, in the East, were almost bare, without any vegetation higher than the half of their height, but the fauna was extremely important. In the lower part of the mountains, were the vegetation were dense enough to shelter a lot of different species, there were a lot of known animals, like deer, or even wild cows, which had greatly amused Saphira and Eragon. Other unknown animals could be found also, and about them even the Eldunarya were unable to help in the task of knowing what they were. Once, they saw an extremely tall animal, which was at least fifteen feet high, and was of a white-yellow colour with big brown spots all over it. As impressive as the Galbanaka, or Longneck, as they called it, was, it was an herbivore, and according to Saphira, its meat was delicious, "even more than deer's flesh, if it is possible". Eragon chose to believe her instead of accepting the piece of meat she was giving him.

On the higher parts of the mountains, though, no life existed, except for few chamois and ibexes. The snow never fell on this side of the mountain, but when they tried to explore the mountain range, they understood why no animal or vegetal species had lived here. In addition to the fact that the wall of the mountain was very steep, and without any track to follow, the temperature often dropped drastically under the freezing point during the night and during the day, it was not really better.

Then, between these two natural wonders, stood a wonder born from the work of Eragon and the elves: Doru Baeraa. During five years, they worked relentlessly, singing wood and stone to meet in a perfect harmony. The result was two breath-taking pieces of architecture. First, the library: After the death of Galbatorix, a huge part of the knowledge from the Riders of Old, considered to be lost, had been recovered from the ruins of the castle of Illirea, and were now conserved in the new home of the Riders. Each room was large enough to contain two or three dragons as tall as Belgabad, and the front door was wide enough to allow two dragon of the size of Shruikan to walk abreast. The building was made of wood and stone, which were sung together in intricate patterns. According to all the residents of Doru Baeraa, the library was by far superior in beauty than anything in Alagaësia, and could only be rivalled by the other building of the settlement: the Castle. The complex beauty of the structure could only be appreciated from above, on dragon back: The building was made of four concentric circles, one for each race of the pact with the dragons, and the centre of the circles was a tower, reserved for the three Elder Riders and the Elves. For now, Eragon was the only Elder to live here, and the only Elder to have seen that place.

The circles and the tower were joined together by bridges, and they were arranged so that it looked like a spiral staircase. Each part of the building had a magically colored roof, shining like dragon scales. The roof of the tower had three colors: red, green and blue, for Thorn, Firnen and Saphira. The first circle, reserved for the Urgals, had an orange roof, representing the fire which flooded in their blood. The second circle, for the Dwarves, had a dark brown roof, showing their closeness to earth and stone. The Human circle, the third, had its roof of an iron grey color, standing for their ambition and the power of their industries. The last, and largest ring was reserved for the elves, and the elven Riders were sheltered under a green roof, symbol of their love of the forest.

Even if the students were separated in function of their race during the night, in their rooms, since a Kull Rider couldn't sleep in a dwarf's of human's bed, during the day, a true spirit of camaraderie did reign between the Riders and discrimination was totally inexistent. Even the elves, after a few years spent with merry dwarves, noisy urgals, and passionate humans, had abandoned their emotionless state and became good and joyous companions. Blödgharm became the closest friend and adviser Eragon ever had. Well, the closest _male_ friend, since he already had someone else to call his best friend.

The place were now stood Doru Baeraa had obviously been inhabited by people millennia ago, according to the presence of magic in the forest, and they had discovered while roaming the land the remains of what appeared to be a great city. In the old ruins they discovered a structure which looked like the Rock of Kuthian, and they decided to stock the Eldunarya and the eggs in a vault which they dug in the ground: the New Vault of Souls.

The old city, which didn't have a known or given name, was where the wild dragons had been first released, when they hatched two weeks after their arrival. Twenty years after they were now more than two hundred, against only five bonded dragons, not counting Saphira, Thorn and Firnen.

Given the traces of magic in the old city and the surroundings of Doru Baeraa, including the forest and the mountains, the former inhabitants of the places must have been extremely powerful. Some of the elves and Eldunarya even spoke of the probability that this city was an outpost of the Grey Folk, for it was the only race they knew that existed and used magic in those times.

Leaving his thoughts, Eragon saw that the duel between his two pupils was now about to end.

"Dead", said the elf called Dellienà, her purple sword Domia a few inches away of the neck of her sparring partner.

 _That reminds me of someone long ago_ , he said to Saphira.

 _Indeed, Little One,_ she replied, amusement flowing through their bond, _the little difference is just that Arya didn't have a Rider sword named "Domination" with her. I find it sad sometimes that you didn't have the inspiration this young elf had when you named your sword._ Her rumbling laughter echoed through the sparring grounds.

He didn't reply. _Her_ name had struck a chord in him like it did every time. _Arya…_ The last time he saw her through scrying, it was six months ago.

During the first ten years after the death of Galbatorix and the departure of Eragon, she reigned over the elves, like her mother had, and she was appreciated by her subjects, and by the four races of Alagaësia who saw in her a monarch more open and accessible than her mother had been. But when the dragons eggs started to hatch, and Riders started to appear, she was the only one who could train them before their journey to Doru Baeraa, and her duties as Queen and Rider were proven to be incompatibles.

Ten years ago, she had scryed Eragon for the first time in all that years, even if they had exchanged letters before, and told him of her intention to give up the crown, leaving the Knotted Throne to the elven lord Dathëdr, who was known as a friend of Arya and favourable to the interactions with other races of Alagaësia. She told him that she took that decision in order to be fully able to train the Riders, but he silently hoped that it was also to be able to see him more often. In this aspect he never grew up, he still was this lovesick fool. This first interview in ten years was terribly painful to him, a pain tainted with a huge relief to see her, and he could tell by watching in her wonderful emerald eyes that she was feeling the same. For more than ten other years now, she trained the new Riders in Alagaësia, and she now had more time to her, therefore she and Eragon scryed each other more often. Though, it did never exceed twice or thrice a year, since both of them still had duties to fulfil. It pained him, and he could tell it pained her as well, that she had never been able to visit Doru Baeraa.

He was awoken from his reverie when a voice reached him.

"Ebrithil, are you alright?" Asked Meclanor, the young human who was sparring against Dellienà. "You seemed to be away".

"What? Who? Where?" he answered, confused "Oh, yes, sorry, I was thinking about past times, young Rider. You two fought very well today, you can be proud of yourselves. Yet, it could be even better, if you apply what we learnt".

They bowed deeply and joined the rank formed by the other new Riders. Eragon looked at them five, their dragons and Saphira above them. Dellienà was the Rider of the purple dragoness Evraya, and Meclanor was the bonded partner of the silver grey dragon Ghastamb. Their fellow riders were another elf, a male, a dwarf warrior from Dûrgrimst Ragni Heftyn, and a Kull woman. Dellienà and Vethneidr, the other elf, were sister and brother, and they looked very much alike with their silver hair, their blue eyes and the perfect face common for the elves. Vethneidr was the rider of Meltienn, who was a wonderful white dragon. While Meltienn and Dellienà were reserved, and slightly arrogant, Vethneidr and Evraya were easy-going, always laughing and joking, and were both necessary to keep the happiness between the Riders. The dwarf, Hrethafgor, was tall for his kind, and his blonde beard was impressive. His grey eyes were always active, looking everywhere, and he was the joking type, just like Thorfanda, his golden dragoness. The Kull was called Anakghfusgha, a name that Eragon found impossible to pronounce, so he decided to call her Ana for short. She was as tall as Nar Gharvzhog, but her face was softer than the face of most Urgralgra males, with blonde hair and yellow eyes. Her black dragon was the mighty Khrufkhog, and even if both of them shared the love of battle which was common to urgals, they were pleasant companions.

Eragon stood in front of his students and said:

"Good. I sparred with Vethneidr two hours ago. Dellienà and Meclanor just sparred now, and I must say you could have won, Meclanor". He paused, looking at the young boy in front of him, with his dark hair, his tanned skin and hazel eyes. "Which leave us for the next fight you two, Hrethafgor and Ana."

Eragon always made these two fight together, since their difference of height and strength forced them to fight the best way possible in order to make the advantages of the other become their weakness. During their first fight, Ana sent Hrethafgor flying twenty feet away because of a blow he tried to block, ten seconds after the beginning of the fight. When the dwarf was healed and ready to fight again, he ran to her, untouched by her enormous blade, since he was little enough to slip past her defenses, and he made her stumble over his feet and fall to the ground in as many seconds. Now, their fights were more even, and they were redoubtable when they didn't fight with each other since they were able to make up with their differences against the others.

But this time, they didn't go far into the fight. Ten minutes after the beginning, Blödgharm ran towards them and said

"Shadeslayer. Atrà esterni ono thelduin"

"Atra du evarinya ono varda. What is the matter, Blödgharm? I didn't see you that much agitated since the war!" Said the Lead Rider, worried at the view of his friend.

"Because a war it might become, Eragon. Arya asked you in the scrying mirror. And she has very troubling news from Alagaësia".


	3. Chapter 2: Troubling News

**So, Chapter 2! I've now started school but I don't have enough work to prevent me from writing x) That is, I don't know for how long… The third chapter is in progress, almost finished, you should have it soon enough. I'll try to keep up that rhythm of one or two chapters a week, but I don't know if it will be for two weeks or two years ^^**

 **Merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

Chapter 2: Troubling News

When the young Riders heard the words of Blödgharm, the fight between Ana and Hrethafgor stopped immediately. The Lead Rider and the elf teacher didn't wait their pupils and rushed to Eragon's office, where the scrying mirror was.

 _What do you think could have happened, Saphira? What Blödgharm just told us seems extremely serious!_

 _Indeed Little One, I hope our time of peace doesn't end now. The hatchlings are too young to fight in a war._

 _They are eight years older than you were when we defeated Galbatorix. They are not hatchlings anymore_ , he replied.

 _They will remain hatchlings to my eyes. I'm ten years older than them._

Eragon didn't answer and instead accelerated to arrive sooner in his office. The obviously impending threat and the idea of seeing Arya again even if it was in these grim circumstances permitted him to keep his impossible pace, impossible even for an elf. He could hear Blödgharm panting behind him.

Finally, after fifteen minutes of running during which Blödgharm had to slow down in order to avoid collapsing, and even Eragon could feel his lungs burning, they reached the closed door of his office. Looking behind him, he saw that Blödgharm was with him, breathing heavily but alive and conscious, and his pupils were still far behind them. He opened the door and walked inside his office, with the elven teacher and adviser, and waited for the young Riders to catch up with them. If what he heard was true, they had to listen what the only Rider in Alagaësia had to say as well. When they were all together, they reached for the mirror in front of them.

Inside, a figure was looking at them, waiting patiently. Behind her could be seen the former hut of Oromis, now Arya's, on the Crags of Tel'naeir. Her raven black hair were falling freely, and they reached her beautiful slender waist. The pointed ends of her ears were visible through the curtain of hair. She was clothed in her usual black leather shirt and pants, and even though she wasn't a queen anymore since ten years, she still had her regally face and attitude. The mesmerizing emerald orbs which constituted her eyes were full of the experience they acquired since more than a decade. When they reached the brown eyes of the Lead Rider, a spark appeared inside them. _Arya…_ To Eragon, she was still stunningly beautiful after these twenty years since their last conversation in person, without a mirror, and if possible she was even more attracting than before. Yet, during these years he learnt to control his emotions, and resisted the blushing that threatened to appear on his face. Despite this perfect control of his face, the same Arya had on hers, he couldn't prevent the same spark in his eyes to appear. She touched her lips with her two fingers and began the traditional elven greeting, since he was the Lead Rider, and she wasn't Queen anymore.

"Atra esterni ono thelduin, Eragon Shadeslayer"

"Atra du evarinya ono varda"

"Un mor'ran lifa unin hjarta onr" When she added the optional verse of the greeting, like they had been used to do during those last few scrying meetings, a ghost of smile appeared on her cherry lips, and Eragon couldn't help himself: He smiled, and wider than her. Then, she looked at the young Riders and appeared to be waiting for something. She was an Elder Rider, they were just Riders in full since few months. When they understood what she was waiting for, and not really desiring that the former Queen thought that they weren't taught manners by their masters, they hurried themselves to initiate the greeting.

To Eragon, the spectacle of an Urgal speaking in the Ancient Language had always been disturbing. He never knew if he had to laugh, to cry, or something. The urgalish language was harsh, guttural, and the accent they had was completely destroying, atomizing the natural beauty of the elven tongue. Yet, Ana was doing her best and he could only congratulate her. He saw that it had the same effect on Arya. She was holding back very difficultly a burst of laugh. This struggle as invisible to anyone else, but to him who studied her face during all that time, he could easily see her hardly repressed mirth.

When the greetings and presentation were over, Eragon turned himself to face Arya:

"So, what is wrong in Alagaësia? What Blödgharm told me his very troubling, and if it had to become a war, I want to know who our foe is, for we might take a part in the fight, if we think it is necessary." He said, in a stern voice which surprised Arya, even if she didn't show it.

"The Surda is wrong Eragon. They kidnapped Nasuada yesterday and now we don't know where she is, what they want from her, not even if she is alive. The former alliance of between the four races is now being called to war by Jormundur, who is Nasuada's second-in-command, as you know. At the time we speak, the elves, the dwarves, the urgals and of course the humans are organizing their armies, and our foe is doing the same. Even if all that gathering seems overkill for a country like Surda, I fear it won't be enough, and I feel we will need your help, to all of you." She replied, a suddenly sad look in her eyes.

"WHAT?" the Rider exploded. "Why did they do that, how did they dare to attack the Empire, and _how_ did they accomplish this?"

"This is why I think we need your help, all of you. It seems that this kidnapping had been prepared months ago. They knew exactly where the traps were hidden, how to avoid them, how to counter the wards protecting the Queen. They managed to pass the Nighthawks Gûntera knows how, probably casting an invisibility spell, and knowing the guards who were magicians were not powerful enough to sense them if their minds were protected. They chose the exact time when Elva was somewhere else to enter the throne room and take the Queen. When Elva sensed what was happening, she rushed in the room, but it was too late, and under her eyes, they teleported probably in Surda. Elva…"

"But it is impossible! When you sent me the egg of Saphira, you blacked out, and you were a powerful elven spell caster, how could a human magician possibly transport three adult persons?" Eragon was more and more thunderstruck while the conversation was going on.

"Allow me to finish, please" She said calmly, raising her hand. "I was saying that Elva was assuring us that this shouldn't have happened. She should have been able to sense them hours before they try this and therefore to stop them before they even set a foot in the castle. They were hiding from her ability, and I know no one except for Angela capable of such a feat. She is obviously not involved. When she exceptionally let Elva read in her, she found no guiltiness, and Angela assured us in the Ancient Language that she had nothing to do about this abduction, and never told anyone about her secrets to prevent Elva from reading her. Now, to answer your question, they managed to take her with these"

She showed him two golden rings, and in each one was embedded a jewel.

"They casted the teleportation spell upon the three of them, but they forgot to include what they were wearing. Behind us, their clothes are on the floor, undamaged. These gemstones were obviously completely filled with energy, most probably more than you ever had in Aren or Brinsingr. Last year, when Firnen and I did our trip to the south to visit Surda, we saw that a huge part of the forest near Petrovya and the Tudösten Lake was completely dead, without any apparent cause. I guess we just found that cause. The jewels are now completely empty, and I think they had to borrow a little from Nasuada. I just hope it didn't kill her."

"And how can we be sure that it is really Surdan people who committed this? Couldn't it just be a group of renegade magic users who kidnapped her because of Gokukara knows what reasons? Their disapproval of her control, maybe? You remember what happened whith Tenga twenty years ago! Even Angela disappeared for nearly fifteen years! How can you be certain of their involvement?"

"Two years ago, the best eleven spellcasters still in the Kingdom, since your departure, discovered something. Every magician, while casting a spell, leaves a tiny aura around him, which is specific to every magician. This aura is extremely difficult to sense, but tells us everything we want to know about the possessor of it. That is, for someone able to read it. When I tried, I sensed the aura, but I couldn't tell anything about its owner. Anyway, it led us to two Surdan magicians, the head of the Order in their country: Orgaft and Argaft. They were registered as magic users, and it is what led us to them, but it's obvious that they didn't know that they could be found. Otherwise, they would have been much more difficult to discover, even if one's aura was proved to be impossible to hide."

Eragon couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could it possibly be true? How could the Surda do that? _Why_ did the Surda do that? What could have done Nasuada to them that led to such a reaction?

"Do we know what pushed the Surda to make this declaration of war?" He asked in a blank voice. He was completely overwhelmed by what Arya was telling him.

"Two years ago, when Orrin died of that disease, his son Grebetin became King of the Surdan Kingdom and he started formal but peaceful relations with all the races in Alagaësia, especially with the Empire. Although, four months ago, when his plan was almost done, as I realize now, he grow cold and distant with us, and he began to curse us, and Nasuada, for the same reasons as his father did twenty years ago. He claimed that Nasuada stole him the throne and the Empire that was belonging rightly to him because of the blood and the resources they lost, because of the losses they suffered. He is obviously mad, and I fear the rise of a new Galbatorix if we do not prevent him. He already managed to rise an immense army. The few spies we already had there told us that is looks as if the whole population of Surda, including women, children and old people have been enrolled in the army. He has with him more than the hundred thousand of soldiers we met in the Burning Plains. How he managed to have so many people following him, I do not know. And…" she trailed off, as if fearing what she was going to say. She was already paler than before, when the meeting started. "And according to this spies, a big part of them if not all of them are immune to pain" She said in a blank voice, with a blank face, and blank eyes.

Eragon was devastated. He couldn't utter more than a few words

"And you told me that they were preparing to war?" He asked.

"Yes. The spies just contacted Dathëdr and me. They are now marching to Belatona, we expect them in a few weeks, the time to organize their army. I am impossibly grateful for this delay since I couldn't have handled this battle alone. According to what they told us a few days ago, I shouldn't even have flown to rescue the city if I wanted to live because…" She trailed off, and she was now impossibly white compared to the honey color which made her skin so beautiful to look just moments ago.

When her silence became awfully painful to Eragon and his companions, he dared to ask.

"Because?" he said in the gentlest way he could regarding his actual state of fear, desperation, impatience, and dread of what was coming.

"They said…" She trailed off again, and she had to focus again on what she was going to say. "They said that a Shade is roaming the lands and helping the new King of Surda.

"WHAT!? How? How did he… How can you know?" Eragon almost fell to the ground when he heard what Arya just said.

"You know that I told you about spies? The Elven Kingdom recruited humans to inform them of everything everywhere. They are humans, since an elf, even disguised, would be immediately recognized with his manners and his coldness. I didn't approve this measure, but Dathëdr wanted to know everything that happens outside his borders. His paranoia was useful. When they infiltrated the castle in Aberon, they saw a general that we didn't know of. His name, well, the name they were given, is Mulzraug. He walks everywhere with his eyes and his hair covered, by darkened glass for his eyes and black tissue for his hair. Yet, his snow-white skin and lips gave him away. In the Northern Lands, where Murtagh and Thorn traveled years ago, and where the snow is eternal, it would have been considered as something normal. Not in the heat and the sun of Aberon. He seems to be the most trusted advisor of the King, and he inspires fear to everyone. If he is indeed a Shade, it is understandable. I don't know how the son of Orrin managed to obtain the help of such an evil creature, and I don't want to know what he promised him, but he is playing with fire, and this new is terrible for us. Now you fully know why you are needed, why we are all needed in Alagësia".

All the color from Eragon's face had withdrawn at the mention of a new Shade. He didn't want to face a new Durza or a new Varaug again, and if for Helzvog knows what reasons he was more powerful than the others, the consequences would be terrible. He was now sitting on his chair, his legs unable to support him. Behind him, his students were stunned, and dreading what was coming next. Blödgharm was still here, next to Eragon, assuming his former role of bodyguard when the Leader of the Riders was in that weak period. Though he couldn't stop a nervous shaking which began when Arya talked about the Shade.

The latter which gave them all a compassionate look, finishing with Eragon, since she herself had been devastated, like Dathëdr, at the news of Surda's uprising with the help of their powerful and evil ally. At the mention of the Shade, she had an anguish attack, and nearly passed out, as her memories from Durza's hands were still too powerful to her, all that years after.

"What do you decide to do Eragon?" She said in a soft tone. "Will you help us, or will you wait for the things to get worse and train your students during that time?"

The question almost offended him, and he was about to reply harshly when he realized that she was saying it this way in order to make him react. So instead of lost his control, he replied just as softly.

"Of course I will come back Arya. Yet, I am reluctant to bring my students with me. They never saw war, and I fear it will change them forever, especially the encounter with a being as powerful, evil and tortured as a Shade."

"We will come with you, Firesword Ebrithil" Said Ana. "We are now full Riders and we are trained to keep Alagaësia safe by fighting for its different races when necessary. If the present situation is not a necessity-to-fight moment, I don't know what one of these moments is."

The other Riders shook their heads vehemently, and knowing that he could to nothing to change their minds, he nodded.

"Fine", he said. Then, with a little smile, he added "I think that I'll have to bring you with me, so let's not waste time. Go to the new Vault of Souls and tell everything to the Eldunari. Take with you all those who want to fight in this war. We are living as soon as possible. Blödgharm, what do you want to do?"

"I will follow you everywhere, Eragon, you know it. But concerning the other elves, I don't know."

"We won't have enough room on the dragons to bring all the twenty-three of you with us and I don't want to lose days and days on the _Talita_. Chose ten elves who are willing to fight and bring them to the dragons. Now!" Blödgharm bowed and began running to where most of the elves were housed.

Then, he turned to Arya. She had a frown on her face.

"You spoke freely of the Eldunari in front of them!?" She almost shouted in disbelief. "You speak of the most guarded secret of the dragons like of the weather!"

Eragon smiled at her contained anger. He had to admit that he would have acted similarly in her case.

"Don't worry Arya. They are now full Riders, and learnt about this secret few weeks ago, and this knowledge they have will be useful to them, and to an extent, to us. Don't worry" he repeated.

Her face softened immediately, returning to the emotionless mask that he knew so well.

"Oh" She said. "I see, I am sorry" Her eyes were still right in his, but he saw she felt a little guilty to disrespect her Leader.

"It is nothing Arya" he said with a joyful smile. "You can't believe how overjoyed I am to return in Alagaësia. I was once predicted that I would never return, but it seems that time hasn't come yet. I missed you" he confessed.

"I missed you to" she said, smiling widely in return. "I am also delighted that a friend such as you comes back to see us, even if it is because of events like these."

"I'm happy about that", he replied, flinching a little at the word "friend". If Arya noticed this, she didn't show it. "I also have news for you, well, for Firnen, is he somewhere near?"

To answer his question, a huge green wing appeared in his field of vision.

"I'm happy to tell you that you are now a father. I didn't know that Saphira laid an egg until she told me four months ago. She laid it eighteen years after our departure, and it is of a wonderful yellow color. Saphira would like to give him to the Riders, but if you decide otherwise, she will agree happily."

"He says that this is amazingly wonderful news indeed, and I am inclined to agree with him. Concerning giving the egg to the Riders, he thinks it is the best solution possible for the hatchling-to-be."

Then Arya looked away to speak with someone invisible to him. When she looked back at Eragon, she said.

"I'm sorry, I really would have loved to speak with you longer, Eragon, but I must go now. I am looking forward to be reunited with a friend such as you, and I hope you will be here soon".

With this, she ended the scrying spell.

 _A friend, and maybe more,_ said Saphira playfully.

 _You know that it is what I want, but it doesn't seem to go this way between us._ He said regretfully.

 _Don't be so sure of that, Little One, you will see by yourself._

 _What do you mean? Oh forget it, just help me to pack these things, the sooner we are in the air to reach them the better it is._

 _I agree, Little One, let's go._

With that they directed themselves at a fast pace to reach their rooms.


	4. Chapter 3: Under the Trees

**A/N: Guyyyys (and giiiiirls)! I love reviews x) Definitely. A perfect day in school (I understood perfectly what we were talking about in physics, an exploit with the teacher we have, and yet, I am gifted, which is not the case of everybody ^^), followed by a wonderful review (even from a guest reviewer), it is a WONDERFUL feeling, I was jumping alone in my room for a whole hour! xD. So please, go on with the reviews, they make my day!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Inheritance Cycle and its characters, they all belong to CP, but all OCs are mine.**

Chapter 3: Under the trees

When Arya ended the spell, a consciousness manifested in hers. Firnen said

 _A friend, really? You can lie in the Ancient Language, now?_ And with that he burst into his rumbling growling laugh.

 _Oh, shut up, Firnen, I didn't lie, it is exactly what we are to each other, for now, so look in front of you and walk straight or you will destroy a tree! And I thought you had greater news to focus on! You are father, remember?_ She replied, half-amused by her dragon's obsession with her relationship with Eragon.

 _Yes, I remember, and this is gigantically and perfectly amazing and wonderful news, I agree_ , he admitted, proud of himself. _But don't change the subject. And concerning the trees, I can perfectly follow this two-legs- pointy-ears while talking with you, you know it, Little One?_

She smiled when he used the nickname Saphira used for Eragon. When she first asked him why, he replied

" _You are all tiny to me, so why shouldn't I? You should be happy that I don't call you Tiny One instead of questioning me about my reasons! And, well, if it is the same nickname as Saphira uses for Eragon, it is perfectly fitting! We are both dragons, we both love each other, you both are Shadeslayers and you are both madly in love with each other, where is the matter?_

She smiled and tried to hide her confusion when reliving the memory, while they were following the elven messenger. Yet, her incredibly playful and annoying dragon saw this memory and jumped on the occasion.

 _You_ _ **are**_ _madly in love with each other, what is the point in denying it? I am the one who had to suffer your grief twenty years ago when they left, remember?_

 _I don't deny it, I love him,_ she admitted. _Well I think I do_. _I think I realized it when we came back in Ellesméra and I was a bit depressed._

 _A bit!? You didn't eat or sleep for a whole week! Is this what you call "depress a bit"?_

 _That long? Well, this is not the point. I was going to say that even if I love him –and despite the fact that you seem to be really sure of that, I am not- I don't know if he still does! He is human and it's been twenty years! Twenty years that he spent with a dozen stunning elven females. So to me, we are friends, and will stay friends when he comes back._

Yet, she didn't say it in the Ancient Language, and Firnen noticed it. He sent a wave of love and compassion to Arya.

 _You still hope that you didn't change in his eyes, don't you?_ Then he added playfully. _I'm sure he didn't, Tiny One._

She didn't answer and followed quietly the elf who was leading them in the quarters of the King. They reached the door of Tialdari Hall after twenty minutes of running from the Crags of Tel'Naeir, and the elf knocked at the black wooden door. A page opened it, and a moment later, the messenger retired with new orders from Dathëdr. Then Arya entered the room.

The Elven King was looking at her with the expressionless mask common to the elves. Arya answered him with hers. In twenty years, is face had not changed a nanometer, and his silver hair were still the same, with the shine of the moon. He looked at Arya expectantly, and she hurried to perform the traditional elven greeting.

"Well, Shur'tugal" He began "Have you contacted your Leader? Will he come back in Alagaësia?"

Arya tried to shake off the anger that began to flare inside her when Dathëdr summoned her in the middle of her interview, showing that he considered her as nothing more than one of his subjects, and that his desires were orders which had to be obeyed immediately.

 _I am a Rider, I shouldn't comply with every caprice of a monarch!_ She said to Firnen

He didn't reply and instead let her feel his amusement at her anger and his approval.

 _We should be as free as the wind, Little One, I agree._ He then said.

"I indeed spoke to Eragon, King Dathëdr, and I was still conversing with him when you messenger came to fetch me". She said it without any coldness or emotion, but her displeasure at Dathëdr's action was obvious. "He will come back, we can expect him with his students and some elves in approximately one week to ten days."

"By the look on your face, I did obviously interrupt the intimate part of your interview. I hope you don't resent me for this?" He let a tiny smile appear on his lips, and the former Queen answered with a glare. The only effect it had was to widen the smirk on the King's face. "Anyway, that is not the point. The point is that they come back, and this is wonderful news. I hope the situation won't have worsened by then. Now, to know about your conversation with Eragon was not the only reason I had to call you. There is something else we should discuss on."

"I guess so, Dathëdr" She answered. "What was so important that you interrupted me during a meeting with the Leader of my Order?" Despite the fact that she liked Dathëdr pretty much during her time as Drottningü then as a Queen, he was now starting to annoy her just as much. He was doing exactly what he was supposed to do: ruling the elves. Yet, it seems he had forgotten that Arya was not her subject, as a Rider. He hadn't the right to command her, but he could easily find ways to do it without doing it. She had now difficulty to keep her temper.

"I apologize again" he said, bowing slightly to show that he was really sorry. It softened her mood a little.

"It is me who should apologize for talking to you so harshly" she answered. "So, what did you plan to discuss with me?"

Visibly satisfied, he started. "Well, as you undoubtedly know, our armies are preparing to march to the South, to Illirea and the other human cities, to help them with the foe they are facing. I will be at the head of the army, as I have to. But I want you to accompany me on this trip, and to command a part of the elven army. This way, your skill for strategy will be properly used, and it will be benefic for all of us. You will be able to coordinate our strikes, and you are a Rider, which gives you the possibility to scout the land for threats, and more efficiently than our own scouts, since you are in the air and Firnen's vision is far superior to ours. I cannot give you orders, but I am hoping that you will help us."

 _Here we are, the manipulation part,_ she thought to Firnen. _I hope he doesn't have to do that every time!_

 _Don't comply with what he asks as you always do. It is benefic for him maybe, but certainly not for the other races and less again for us. You know that we cannot do what he asks and you know why._

 _Yes, I know, but…_ she sighed _I always fear what consequences it will have for us if we refuse to obey his disguised orders. I don't know if I did the right thing by transforming Dathëdr the advisor in Dathëdr the King._

 _He is not the worse of the two-legs pointy-ears, believe me, you did the best choice you could, Little One. At least, he is favorable to the humans' cause, which is not the case of all his subjects._

 _You're right._

Then, seeing that Dathëdr was waiting for an answer, she sighed again, and said:

"I am sorry, we are sorry, Dathëdr, but what you ask of us is not possible. We will have to fight with the other Riders, side by side with you, but not in your ranks, not as your flying scouts and generals. It will be a good thing only for you, not for us and for the rest of the four races of the land. And I won't even be able to help you with the preparations for the depart of your army. Our duty, as Elder Rider and Dragon, and as only bonded pair in Alagaësia, is to be in Hedarth when the Riders will reach it. They will touch ground in approximately one week, which means that we'll live tomorrow. We cannot accomplish what you are asking" She looked straight in the King's eyes, the latter who stiffened at the words of Arya, and the look in his face became severe, as he tried to stop the anger to spread on his usually emotionless face. His face darkened during one short moment, presaging bad things. It was the first time that he was denied something in ten years, and Arya knew it wasn't a good thing to go against the will of such a powerful monarch. Yet, it had to be done.

When Dathëdr was about to answer her, the mirror on his desk shimmered, saving Arya of a tense and potentially dangerous argument, even if she knew that Dathëdr was far too smart, and self-controlled to do anything foolish and hurt her. When the scrying mirror permitted to see the man who contacted them, they recognized one of the spies in Belatona. Something was amiss… He was covered with blood, mud, and dirt. Behind him could be heard the sound of steel against steel, and people shouting war cries.

"My King!" He yelled. He seemed to be ready to faint. "Belatona is under attack! Our suspicions concerning the presence of a Shade are confirmed! He is walking at the head of Surdan army, still covered head to foot, and wreaks havoc in our ranks! We won't be able to last for long!"

Dathëdr and Arya's eyes widened at these words, and their faces lost all color.

"How is it possible?" Bellowed Dathëdr. Arya had never seen him lost his temper like that. He was walking around in his office, throwing objects all around the room, breaking everything that had the misfortune to be in his hands. The recent events with a stubborn Rider added to the improbable attack of their foe, it was enough for anyone to explode. Fearing for his sanity if he spoke again, Arya took over the interrogation of the spy.

"You told us less than three hours ago that their army was weeks away of the city! How could they come here that fast? It is impossible to teleport an entire army, even for a Shade and two powerful magicians! How is it possible, tell us!" She was also on the verge of breaking something. Twenty minutes ago she assured Eragon that he could take his time if he wanted, and now… But she knew that even if he left in the minute his settlement, he could never arrive in time. Yet, above everything else, she wanted to know one thing: how could this have happened?

Facing her, the spy appeared to be scared by her words, if not terrified. He stuttered:

"But, we… we did not contact you three hours ago! None of us! We were at a meeting in the center of the city, and no one left before one hour ago, when a massive army was spotted, seemingly appearing from nowhere! They caught us off guard and unprepared! Obviously they were hidden by magic, but I don't know many magic users who are powerful enough to do this alone, not even a Shade. It is probable that the spell was maintained by many people. But concerning this discussion we are supposed to have shared with you three hour ago, I can confirm that it didn't happen!"

"So who in hell did I spoke with? It was your face, your voice, your face expressions! How is it possible?" Nothing seemed to make sense to her. All she could do was wonder again and again how such a surprise attack could happen. Then, answering her last question, a cold voice said, after an evil laugh:

"Well, it took me much time to know this dear person, but with an appropriated spell, the facial features are not a problem. I think you are already a little familiar with face modification, Drottningü?"

The Rider, the King and the spy looked everywhere, to see who was speaking. Yet, no one could be seen. The noise of a sword unsheathed was heard, and for no apparent reason, the head of the spy was separated from his body. Blood covered the mirror, and therefore the image on the other side, and the headless body fell to the ground, its missing part rolling a few feet away, still in the man's helmet. Arya and Dathëdr were both in a deep state of shock. Then, the cold voice could be heard again.

"Oh, how rude of me." It said in a mocking tone. "I'm hiding myself and we haven't be presented yet."

Arya had a very bad feeling about whatever thing it was that was speaking. It was undoubtedly a male, but obviously not a human. He said a few words in the Ancient Language, and the air shimmered around what seemed to be a humanoid form. Seconds later, a man stood in front of them, his face and body hidden by a black armor. _The Surdan King is not a magician,_ she thought, _it cannot be him. But who is it?_ She was almost sure to know the answer, but she didn't want to believe it. It was Dathëdr, who had managed to regain his composure, who spoke first.

"Who are you, monster? Why did you do that? Why did you start this war?" He said aggressively. Arya was definitely not recognizing the ex-Counsellor Dathëdr, King of the Elves.

This outburst amused the man, who let out another terrifying laugh through his helmet.

"Weren't the elves reputed for their courtesy and politeness? What will become of them if not even their King does not respect this tradition? As for your last question, I didn't start this war. You provoked it by despoiling the Surda from its rightful Empire twenty years ago. For your second question, I killed that scum because I wanted to, and he was not on my side. And to answer your last question…" At these words, he pulled out his helmet, letting his red hair fall on his shoulders. His eyes were redder than ever before, as excited as he was by the blood spilled in the battle. A nasty grin spread on his face, uncovering his white fangs-like pointy teeth.

"We are the general Mulzraug, actually serving under his Majesty the King of Surda, future Emperor of Alagaësia. You can do nothing to stop us, and without the human High Queen, you are all lost. Now, it's not that I am getting bored, but I have people to kill, a city to take and a country to conquer, I'm sure you can understand. See you in Illirea!"

And with that, he sliced at the mirror with his sword, cutting it in two parts, and stopping the scrying spell.

Arya and Dathëdr were both too stunned to utter a word. Finally, after minutes of a deadly silence, the Elven King was the first to recover for this episode. He agitated himself and began giving orders and making mental notes. Then, he turned to Arya and said rapidly

"Arya, please, I would like you to contact Eragon as soon as possible, to inform him of these events. I will myself contact Jormundur, Orik, Garzhvog and Roran Stronghammer. Twenty years after the last major conflict, the war is upon us again"

"I will do it now, Dathëdr, and I will leave for Hedarth at once, maybe I will be able to catch them before their arrival." She replied, leaving the room.

 _I hope you ate recently, Firnen, we will have to fly swiftly and relentlessly to reach our friends._


	5. Chapter 4: The battle of Belatona

**My first battle chapter, hope you like it!** **(In some parts I think it could be rated M but I won't change, I just warn you) I put a long time to right it since I didn't know if I should put it or not, and I started the writing very late in the past week, but finally here it is.**

 **I saw some writers were telling what music they were listening while writing, to find inspiration, or calm, or to think, and so on. Here's mine:**

 **Arch Enemy – War Eternal (the album) (and the song Time is Black is just awesome and incredibly inspirative)**

 **Alestorm (nice name, isn't it? x) ) – Black Sails at Midnight (album)**

 **Believe me, it is incredibly efficient for battle scenes x) Especially the album of Alestorm :p**

 **Anyway, here is the chapter.** **Merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

 **PS : A friend challenged me to do something silly, if you find where it is, PM me, or review, and you will have a bonus information concerning the plot (Timothé ça compte pas pour toi :p )**

Chapter 4: The battle of Belatona

The summer sun was shining merrily above the horizon, its warmth spreading even in the darkest holes to lighten the mood of every being in its reach. Everything in the plain was unmoving, the only sound which could be heard was the joyful chirp of the sparrows, nightingales, and robins. The city of Belatona was resting between the peaceful shores of both the Leona Lake and the Jiet River, its population much less unmoving than its environment, but walking to its tasks with glee at the current state of peace in their city. The sentinels were stalking on the walls, peaceful, yet on their guards, remembering the dark rumors they had heard about an uprising in Surda. The shining disk of sun reflecting on the waters of the Jiet were transforming the liquid into silver, a wonderful sight. It couldn't last.

When the men were looking away, the air at the South-West of the Southern wall began to wave and shimmer. As one, thousands of soldiers appeared, roaring in anger at the city before them. At their head was a man entirely clad in a black armor, riding a white horse, the color of bone. Adding to the shout of the men, the thunder of their boots and the horses' feet was producing a terrifying noise, able to make any man shake in fear. In the city, the men were clumsily reaching their weapons, messengers were running everywhere, and the screams of the once happy population could be heard leagues away. The resistance to the attack organized slowly. The doors were closing, inch by inch and a cheer of men behind the walls was answering the one coming outside.

Outside, apart from the main army running for the walls of the city, three beings, including the man in the black armor had their eyes downcast, and they were all unsteady on their feet or saddles. Suddenly, the white horse of the man fell to the ground, as if drained of its life force. The man avoided difficultly to fall to the ground when his horse collapsed, but he seemed to be better off than moments ago. Step by step, he aimed with his companions to an area where approximately a hundred people were kept obviously as prisoners. Once they reached them, they stopped for a few seconds. Moments later, all of the prisoners collapsed like the horse before them, and the three men seemed to be finally in good shape. They started running to the city, and the armored man quickly overtook and left his partners, in spite of the heaviness of his gear compared to his companions, who merely wore leather protections. Before reaching his soldiers and the city, he shot two lightning bolts with his palm, each one reaching the two sentinels who were firing arrows at his men, waiting for the boiling oil. The latter which was brought at this moment. The man shouted something lost in the noise of both armies, and the cauldrons containing the oil were knocked down, spreading their contents on the unfortunate soldiers on the walls. Finally, the man looked at the door which was now closed. The battering ram was unsuccessful in breaching it, for now. The mysterious man raised his hand, and the ram glowed of a fiery red. The next blow which landed on the door created a huge crack in it, and it at last seemed about to give in. On the rear guard, around the general, at least fifty of the men appeared suddenly tired and weak, unable to bear their weapons. The second blow caused them all to pass out, around the man who stood proud, his hand still raised. None of the soldiers looked back to the soldiers who fell: they were not dead. The second blow had another effect: the door made a loud crack and opened widely. A roar was emitted by the army, and they rushed in the city. The general entered after them, followed by his two companions. Each one of them ran to take the lead of a part of the army: the battle of Belatona had now begun.

Mulzraug, quickly reached the head of his company, which was already battling against the enemy soldiers. He unsheathed his bone-white sword and started to fight with his men. The opponents had been caught unprepared, and they were slow to react, even compared to other human soldiers. In other words, the fight was far too easy for a Shade. In the first minutes, dozens bodies were piled around him, all terribly mutilated, headless, some even cut in two. The Surdan general reveled in the blood flowing around him, in the lives he took mercilessly and effortlessly. Only twenty minutes after the first assault, the area around the door was empty of living soldiers, and the others were burning in a corner. The remainder of the city's defense had retreated in bastions from which they were firing arrows on the soldiers. The plan was clear, and simple. Their spies had told of the number of bastions apart from the citadel, and each part of the army led by a different commander would have to take a building before attacking the citadel in full force. Mulzraug had to take the strongest one, just in front of his company. Argaft, would have to take the North-Eastern one before she reached the Eastern door of the citadel, and Orgaft would have to do the same on the North-Western bastion. After the Rider War, the command of the city had placed the main stronghold directly at the South, for it was from where many of the foes would come. Therefore, Mulzraug already had many men who fell to the enemies' arrows. Himself had casted enough wards to prevent a mountain from falling on him and still be living and conscious: some of his wards were draining energy of his direct environment, if he wanted to.

"To me, for the King of Surda and rightful High King of Alagaësia!" He yelled to his men "Attack!"

Thunder answered him when the soldiers cheered and rushed to the stronghold. Even if he could have taken the stronghold on his own, the presence of soldiers only made him more dangerous, and impressive. He loved being impressive.

The assault was murderous on both sides. Mulzraug was causing most of the casualties on the other side, but the force gathered in the building was close to two thousand soldiers, and fighting well. Even if he would have liked to deal with all those puny humans on his own, he knew that the loss of the third of his army would anger the King, and he still needed him. When he saw that he couldn't continue the assault without losing most of his company, he shouted the survivors:

"Retreat! We cannot win this battle like this! Follow me, all of you!"

His soldiers difficultly obeyed his orders, retreating clumsily to the door of the stronghold, trying not to be beheaded by the enemy swords.

Once they were outside, all of the men covered their heads with their shields, and obeying to an order of the Shade, waited for him to make a decision. Mulzraug was trying to find a way of killing all the men swiftly and efficiently. He wouldn't go there alone, because, even if he wanted to slaughter them all in the most bloody and painful way possible, it would take too much time to do it, and he was already late regarding the timing he had set up with his lieutenants. To explode the building would be a funny and beautiful way to end the pathetic lives of his _human_ foes. A wonderful firework indeed. But it would cost too much energy. Forcing it to collapse would be funny as well. Seeing the fear in their eyes when they would feel the building falling to the ground would be a pleasant sight. But then, it would be dangerous for his men also, except if he managed to make the tower collapse toward the citadel. It would crush the human houses, it would end the lives of the humans, and it would be harmless for his troops. But he couldn't control the fall of the tower. Suddenly, he had an idea which could work, resolving all his problems, concerning the direction in which the tower would fall, and how he would make it fall. To consider the stronghold under another angle, he left the ranks and walked around the building to see which part of it he would have to destroy to take the whole tower down and controlling the fall from the beginning. Immediately, hundreds of arrows flew at him, but when they were five feet away from him, they burnt to ashes, and the Shade didn't even look up to them or the archers.

 _If I remove these stones in the corners of the tower, I won't lose too much energy and it will collapse due to the lack of weight support. Well maybe. I should give it a try._ He thought.

Raising his hands, he searched deep in him for the magic and bellowed

"Stenr sharjalvi!" Stone, move!

When he spoke the words, terrifying crackles could be heard coming from the tower when blocks of stone separated from the main body of the building, breaking the mortar linking the blocks between them. In the first seconds after the gaping hole in the tower was created, nothing happened. The Shade was slightly disappointed and was preparing himself to explode a part of the tower when a sound louder than the others could be heard. Slowly, but surely, the once proud and tall building began to fall down. The soldiers inside, realizing what was happening screamed in panic, totally powerless, waiting and dreading their incoming death. Finally, the tower hit the ground in a sickening crack, and the complaints of the soldiers stopped at once. They were all dead. Looking at the collapsed building, the Shade smirked, with the satisfaction that only job well done gives. Taking a little pause in the fight before attacking to the citadel, he looked for the two other strongholds with his eyes. He still saw them, the flag of the Empire still floating. Then, as one, the two towers collapsed just like the first had moments before.

 _Copycats,_ he thought disdainfully. _Those idiots are so weak that they must have passed out with that. I don't know why the King likes and uses them, they are just hindering my movements. Well, let's attack this puny human citadel, I won't need them, and their soldiers either._

When he arrived at the doors of the citadel, the heavy iron doors were already closed, and probably warded against magical attack. Indeed, when Mulzraug tried different spells to open it, he drained ten men of their energy till they die before he had to admit that it was no use. But he was not short of ways to open the citadel. The door was obviously protected only against traditional spoken magic. To put it differently, it was not a problem for him. With a snap of his fingers, the door opened effortlessly, and no one passed out, not even felt weak. When he and his men entered in the citadel, the answer was immediate, and the soldiers facing them were obviously elite guards. When dozens and dozens of his men's bodies were piled around him, the general jumped on his foes and decimated their first rank in seconds, showering them in fire coming from his hand. The second line had time to unsheathe their swords, but they were unable to answer the sheer force and brutality displayed by the Shade. So when the general was joined by his own soldiers, the citadel's first line of defense was defeated, but not quickly enough to avoid heavy casualties in the Surdan ranks. At the Northwestern and Northeastern doors could be heard the shouts of men, and the noise of swords against and iron door. The two other thirds of the army were here, but unable to enter.

 _They can cope with it alone, I won't help those idiots, if they are unable to open a door and kill humans, they don't deserve to live,_ thought Mulzraug.

In front of him was the door leading to the main body of the building, and this one wouldn't be easy do destroy. Besides, the King wanted the city as a whole, and didn't want the Black General to destroy official buildings if it could be avoided. It just meant that Mulzraug would be allowed to perform his favorite form of destruction: kill everyone inside in the bloodiest way possible. A simple and nice plan, as he loved them.

But the intrusion in the citadel didn't go unnoticed. The soldiers waiting for the two other part of the army had spotted them, and almost twice as many soldiers as the first time came to them, while the strict necessary stayed at the door, since the door wouldn't be broken before long at this pace.

This time, the Shade saw that this situation could be dangerous if not handled properly. With the enemy soldiers coming from the two sides, they would be instantly crushed. Raising his swords, he shouted to his men:

"Soldiers, attack the left side! I will handle the fight on the right!" Then, he pointed his finger to a dozen of his own elite soldiers, and said. "You, you come with me to protect my back when I slaughter them. CHARGE!"

On his command, the men rearranged quickly in a triangle formation and jumped at their foes, adrenalin flowing in their veins, the murder frenzy of the Shade added to their will to kill and survive. Ten minutes later, the place was impossible to recognize, the stone of the floor, which used to be white, pure, was now uniformly red, and the soldiers were literally swimming in a pool of blood, with bodies here and there. There was no survivors in the Imperial ranks, having received against them a third of the Surdan army for one side and a powerful bloodthirsty Shade helped by the best swordsmen of Surda for the other side. During the fight, the Imperials had been joined by their friends guarding the door, just to be backstabbed by the Surdan who finally managed to break through the doors. Now, the whole army of Surda was gathered in front of the one door leading to the inside of the citadel. As one, the Black General and his lieutenants, who were still alive and conscious, contrary to the Shade's predictions stood at the head of the men and patate as one they bellowed, their swords pointed at the building in front of them:

"ATTACK!"

The roar emitted by the soldiers that followed was heard leagues away, frightening every man, woman or child in the city who was still alive to hear it. The sound that answered this impressive display of power was just as terrifying: the citadel was not empty, and actually, it seemed that the major part of the army was in there, and not in the strongholds which fell minutes ago. In the middle of the fighting, Mulzraug saw something strange happen. One of the men he was fighting suddenly withdrew and started to run in the corridors. Then recognition hit the Shade in the face: he knew this man from the days passed in the city analyzing it. The Shade decided to follow him wherever he was going, and casted upon himself an invisibility spell in the middle of his fights. His foes, disoriented, blinked, and lost their heads immediately after, hit by the invisible sword of the Shade. Then, he ran after the fleeing human. Two minutes later, they arrived in a little room where a lonely mirror stood.

 _My my, it seems the elves are going to join our little party, it will be fun!_ He thought.

The man uttered a few words, oblivious of the Shade standing only four feet next to him. In front of him appeared to beings seemingly in the middle of a discussion. Their long hair parted a little and allowed to see the pointed hears of the people in the mirror.

 _Bingo_ , he smirked.

The man began to speak hastily, fear in his eyes:

"My King! Belatona is under attack! Our suspicions concerning the presence of a Shade are confirmed! He is walking at the head of Surdan army, still covered head to foot, and wreaks havoc in our ranks! We won't be able to last for long!"

 _Correct, little man._

The assertion of the man gave way to the most beautiful outburst Mulzraug ever saw on an elf. He was deliciously angry, and afraid. How pleasant.

After a boring part of chatting, during which the Shade yawned so widely that it was a miracle that no one heard the cracking noise of his jaw, the lady spoke. She was beautiful, really. If he had to kill her he would do it with great pleasure, but not before having had a little fun. She said:

"So who in hell did I spoke with? It was your face, your voice, your face expressions! How is it possible?"

 _I think this is where I come in._ He couldn't prevent himself from laughing.

"Well, it took me much time to know this dear person, but with an appropriated spell, the facial features are not a problem. I think you are already a little familiar with face modification, Drottningü?"

The look on her face was hilarious, and to see all three of them searching everywhere where he stood was just as funny if not more.

 _Well, I think it is time for us to speak privately, little man, goodbye._ He unsheathed his sword and sliced the head of the spy. Blood covered the walls and the mirror, flooding from where his head formerly was. Killing someone he knew, even for a few days, was something exhilarating, that he always longed for. But each time he did it, it didn't reach the level of pleasure he felt when he cut his mother, father, wife and children to pieces, so long ago. When it was done, he looked at the mirror and the people who were in it, completely shocked by what they just saw and heard.

 _Time to have little chat._ He thought.

When Mulzraug exited the room just after the discussion with the elves, he ran to join and help his soldiers, but they found him first. The fight was over, the city was theirs. Learning this, he quickly returned to the courtyard where the roof of the citadel could be seen. At this moment, he could see the banner of the Empire taken down, replaced by the flag of Surda. They had won. Casting a spell to magnify his voice, he shouted in the streets of Belatona.

"Tonight is our night, and especially yours! Kill who you want, enslave whoever you want to, rape as many people as you'd like to, the city is ours! But tomorrow the rightful High King of Alagaësia arrives, and no such things will be permitted. Enjoy your night!" A huge cheer answered his words. The soldiers were dismissed.

Far in the North, a man had eavesdropped the conversation between the most powerful beings in Alagaësia. Things were definitely bad. Looking to his left, he said to the huge red beast lying on the ground

 _It is time for us to return in our land._


	6. Chapter 5:The return of the Dragon Rider

**Hey ! First of all, I am REALLY sorry about this other late chapter, the "** **preparatory class for high scientific school" asks me a lot of working (as it should) (I don't know what's the English equivalent for "prépa", if someone could help me x)), so I don't write as often as I want and should** **. Now I think that the new rhythm of publication will be one chapter every two weeks, and if I manage to finish a chapter sooner, then you are lucky ;) Even on holidays I can't manage to write more than during the school x)**

 **Secondly, I am realizing just now that even if I have some little things planned for Eragon's students, they are almost absent of this story, so don't worry, I'll fix this in the future chapters.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading, merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

Chapter 5: The return of the Dragon Riders

The sun was rising peacefully above the horizon, in the East, unwary of the troubled state of the land. Its light reflected on six spots shining brightly above it, far away, in the mesmerizing orange, pink and purple sky. Their color could not be seen yet, but they were shining so brightly that they were seeable leagues away, and this sight would fill anyone of awe, wonderment, or terrible fear. On the opposite side, coming from the West, another shining spot was moving toward the little town between the Az Ragni and the Edda River.

Hedarth was much bigger than twenty years before, when the Great Eragon, Firesword, Kingkiller, Shadeslayer, and Saphira Brightscales, Flametongue, had left Alagaësia to lands unknown. The newfound peace and unity between the different races of Alagaësia had deepened the commercial connections especially between the elves and the dwarves, and since Hedarth was set there because it permitted to exchange easily by the rivers, the town had expended dramatically in the first years of Arya's and Orik's reign. The once little gathering of houses was now a major town of the country, as big as Gil'Ead or Teirm, or at least the Teirm of Eragon's memories, two decades before, when they were not an autonomous city-state.

 _Much have changed since we last were here, Saphira,_ said Eragon. _It won't be as easy to go unnoticed as I would have liked to._

 _Remember that we were gone for a long time, at least long for human, even for dwarves. And, well, at least our arrival might give hope to those who try to protect our homeland._

 _I hope you are right. Let's meet them_ , he replied, pointing at the dot flying towards them _._

Eragon tried to hide his excitement at seeing her again, but his perfect self-control developed during these years training the Riders failed him lamentably. His students could feel his nervousness and his restlessness, but did not say or think a word. They were feeling the same at coming back in their homeland. Yet, Saphira didn't feel the need to restrain her joy at seeing her mate again. She bellowed loudly, and Eragon was temporally deafened by the roar. In the distance, a similar display of draconic joy was heard, and the pair rushed forward to meet the only one Rider and Dragon permanently in Alagaësia. Eragon extended his mind out of him to reach their mind, and five seconds later, the access was permitted.

 _Arya and Firnen, it is delightful to meet you again after all this time._ He allowed a huge smile to appear on his face.

 _Indeed it is, rider-of-my-mate, it has been far too long_ , replied Firnen.

 _That it has, Eragon,_ said Arya. _What a pity that our encounter must take place because of such terrible happenings._

 _Don't mourn our return,_ friend _-of-my Rider._ She mockingly insisted on the word "friend". _It is our enemies who should dread the fate that is waiting for them with seven full trained Riders fighting them. Rejoice today, for a new force arrived in Alagaësia._

The words of Saphira had the expected effect. A smile similar to the one on Eragon's face appeared on Arya's rosy lips.

 _Thank you for your words, Ebrithil Bjartskular, they are bringing joy and peace in my heart._

But Saphira had already closed her mind to Eragon and Arya and was having a private conversation with Firnen. They met just above Hedarth, and they heard the cheers of thousands of dwarves and elves below them, flabbergasted by the unforeseen sight offered at their eyes: six legendary Riders coming back in Alagaësia, welcomed by the former elven Rider Queen: the rumors would spread swiftly.

When they reached each other, Saphira flew above Firnen, and Eragon could see under her the raven hair of Arya flying in the wind, a huge grin on her wonderful face. This scene reminded him so much of when he saw Firnen for the first time, twenty years sooner, he was tiny compared to how big he was now. He was as tall as Saphira, maybe even taller, but just as lean, even if muscular. They spun around each other waiting for the other dragons, younger and burdened by the elven warriors, to reach them. When they were all gathered, Firnen and Saphira dived to the ground, in a mad race. A wrong move and what remained of them was a smoking and bloody crater.

 _Exhilarating!_ was everything Saphira said before opening her wings only twenty feet above the ground. They landed so abruptly that Eragon was thrown off balance and was attached to his saddle only by the leather straps, and he would have fell to the ground otherwise.

 _This one was really brutal, Saphira,_ Eragon said in mock indignation. _You could have been gentler_

 _I could, but thanks to me we won._

Indeed, Firnen had been slower, and more thoughtful with his Rider. He landed merely a second after Saphira, the latter who snorted mockingly at him. He answered with a low growl. And just after Arya jumped of her own saddle, they took off again and flew toward the Hadarac desert, where they could be alone. Looking at Arya, he saw on her face a little smile, and she said slowly:

"Watch out, Master"

Eragon looked above him and quickly jumped to the side with a yelp when he saw five huge dragons diving toward where he stood. Five huge thuds were heard, and five glorious roars were emitted. Behind him, he heard the tinkling laugh he had heard only twice in his life before. Apparently, the spectacle of the Lead Rider frightened by his own students was funny enough to make an elf Rider and former Queen laugh. To this, the tip of Eragon's ears burned, and he silently hoped that his confusion was not seeable on his face. His five students jumped from their Dragons, followed by the ten elven warriors from Doru Baeraa. They were all totally white, obviously not used to fly on dragonback, let alone dive from the sky. Blödgharm alone was not currently pale, for obvious color reasons, but he didn't seem to be in full possession of his faculties either. It was the turn of Eragon to hold back a laugh.

"Are you alright?" he said, "You may want to sit down after this, my students obviously have a particular sense of humor"

"We will be fine, Shadeslayer, we thank you very much" Yaela said with a feeble voice

When he heard the weakness of her voice, he shot a deadly glare to his students, especially the dragons, who lowered their heads in sign of apologize and shame. When she saw that, Arya was impressed by the authority that emanated from him. He had much changed in twenty years. She remembered how fast she had saw men change between their early twenties and late thirties. Even being a hybrid, Eragon wasn't different in that respect.

When the things were settled with his students, he turned to watch Arya in the eyes, and started the traditional greeting, honoring his student by speaking first.

"Atra esterni ono thelduin, Arya Shadeslayer"

"Atra du evarinya ono varda, Ebrithil Shadeslayer"

Even if he usually liked this respect coming from his students, with Arya, it didn't feel right, and he had a bitter taste in the mouth at the thought that maybe it was another barrier added between them.

"Un mor'ran lifa unin hjarta onr" he added. Then, feeling the need to break the ice and greeting his dearest friend after all those years of separation, he embraced her tightly, and he was pleased to see that she hugged him back without any hesitation. Finally, after few seconds, he let her go, and looked back, where the other students and the elves stood. While the elves were standing unmoving, and not showing any sign of emotion as always, the young Riders were watching their masters curiously since they had never seen the Lead Rider displaying so much affection for anyone else before.

 _Even though what you did was most appreciated, you should have been more careful, I don't want us to be at the center of gossip and unfounded rumors on the first day of your arrival_ , said Arya in his mind.

 _Let them talk, I think rumors did exist even before Saphira and I left Alagaësia._ Eragon tried to reassure her. _And haven't I the right to greet a friend that I didn't see for two decades? If they cannot understand this, I don't know why I keep on teaching them._

 _I hope you are right._

 _I am, don't worry. Now, come, I think there is more important matters than our private life to discuss right now._

They walked back to where the elves and the Riders were standing, and without further ado, Eragon started to sum up the situation to the people and the dragons.

"As you know, Belatona was attacked and partly destroyed one week ago. This is the second public act of war perpetrated by the King of Surda, and his goal is obvious: he wants the High Throne of Alagaësia for himself, an idea confirmed by the abduction of the current rightful Queen of the Brodding Kingdom, Nasuada. At the moment we are talking, the Varden are once again preparing to war, under the command of the leaders of each race, Dathëdr at the head of the elves, Orik leading his dwarves, Roran and Jormundur replacing Nasuada for the humans, myself and Arya will command the Riders and the ten elves with us. We have heard nothing from Nar Garzvhog by now, but I am positive that he will help us."

"Don't worry about that Ebrithil" said Ana **(can you remember her full name? x) )** "He has always considered that he was in his debt for everything you and lady Nighstalker have done for the Urgralgra, and he is not a hornless traitor"

The Lead Rider replied with a short nod, and went on with his presentation.

"The Surda wouldn't really be a danger for Alagaësia, and we wouldn't even be needed here if it was just about the King alone with his army. But we don't know how, he managed to obtain the help of a powerful Shade. His name is Mulzraug, but his feats in Belatona already earned him the name of Black General. He is the one who set up the abduction of Nasuada, and not someone to be underestimated, even two Shadeslayers might not be enough to fight him. I don't know why but he appears way more powerful than Varaug had been, and we almost died then", he said looking at Arya. She didn't let anything pass through her emotionless mask, but Eragon knew her better than most people here, and remembered clearly enough the trials she went through after her imprisonment in Gil'ead, the torture at the hands of Durza, and the wounds that Varaug had reopened in Feinster. She couldn't be indifferent to the rise of a new Shade. He looked to were the other people were standing and ended his speech.

"Now this is all I know. Arya, you were the one in Alagaësia during this whole time is there something I forgot or that you would like to add?"

"There is one thing that you should know" she replied. "Two hours ago, an elven sentinel contacted me: Thorn and Murtagh have been spotted at the North of Nädindel, and they were flying toward Ellesméra. They are expected in two days, and I said that we would be there in three to greet them. I hope I did the right choice Ebrithil?"

"You did, Arya, their return is a great new, if they bring peace with them. Even if we separated in good terms, I don't know if I can trust him fully. I will see him there to know where his allegiances lie. Even if he didn't come back, I planned to go to Ellesméra before Illirea in order to reestablish the relations between the Riders and the elves. I will do the same thing in Hedarth with the Dwarves, then on our way to Illirea I will stop by the Lake Fläm were the Urgals reside while you fly straight to Illirea where you will meet the humans. It should take us two weeks, if we stay a few days in Ellesméra, since I don't have the intention of staying for a long time in Hedarth or in the Urgal village. Finally, we will all fly from Illirea to Dras-Leona where will be the Surda's next attack. Now, if our course of action is settled, let us fly to Hedarth."

The students and the elves bowed, and climbed on the back of their dragons under the surprised look of Arya, who didn't. She looked at Eragon, who replied with a little mimic signifying that he didn't have to bow to him. When everyone was ready, the seven dragons took off, roaring in the wind.

Ten minutes later, they landed in the middle of a cheering crowd of dwarves, elves, and even some humans. Struggling to evolve in the overcrowded narrow streets, the dragons took off again to wait for their Riders in the skies.

During their difficult progression to the main building of the city, where they would contact the leaders of Alagaësia, Eragon had twenty four proposals, Arya had twenty five, they were asked fifty seven times about their relationships, and each time the students gave knowing looks to each other, but not once the subject of Surda was heard of.

"It seems they have completely forgot why we came back, Master" said Meclanor.

"Let them enjoy this day, for the coming weeks and months won't be happy ones. Once, back in the Rider War, I came back from a mission, and although we were in the darkest days of Alagaësia since Du Fyrn Skulblaka, the Varden were celebrating my return, and the war was forgotten in a moment of joy. This day, I was proposed twice. It seems that I did improve myself very much in twenty years!" he laughed. "Remember this: they do not forget why we did return. They are celebrating the fact that we did."

"I will, Master".

Half an hour later, they managed to reach the entrance of the citadel and gain access to the communication room, where four mirrors were standing, one for each race except the werecats. When everybody was in the room, Eragon, Arya, Blödgharm and Yaela faced the four mirrors, and whispered the words which permitted them to communicate across the land. Dathëdr alone was impossible to reach: he was still within the perimeter of the protective spells around Du Weldenvarden. The faces of Orik, Garzvhog, Jormundur and Roran appeared in the mirrors, and their actual expression was the one of complete stupor, something extremely unnerving on the face of a Kull war chief. When they recovered from their shock, they drowned Eragon under a constant flow of pressing questions, and Eragon had to raise the voice to make them all stop talking.

"First things first my friends. Yes, I came back, but it would be irresponsible of me not to do it with the actual state of the land. I don't know if the new reached all of you yet, but the upbringing of Surda is not a simple riot. You are already aware of the abduction of Nasuada and of the battle and the loss of Belatona. But I don't know if you are aware that the King of Surda managed to get the help…"

"Of a powerful and bloodthirsty Shade. We learned it from the King of elves two days ago, Firesword." Said Garzvhog, with a grim face. The mood of the entire council dropped at the mention of the Black General

"But well, now, you are seven Riders plus ten of the most powerful elven spell casters, we will be able to defeat him, and the Surdan army, won't we? Even a Shade can't be powerful enough to beat such formidable foes!" Said Roran. "To the majority of the people, it would even appear completely overkill for only one being or even one army".

"I hope you are right, Roran" replied Arya "But I can't help thinking that we will need every resource we have to face them. This Mulzraug, you never saw him in action. I only saw a little glimpse of his abilities when we spoke during the destruction of Belatona, and I remember now why I feared the Shades so much back in my childhood. So if you add to him an entire army and four hundreds magic users or so, some of them who are extremely powerful, the Surda is not to be underestimated. I think in particular of Orgaft and Argaft, apparently Mulzraug's lieutenants, who could win a fight against an average elf."

"The way you put it, we would almost hope that other Riders will join you to fight against this invincible foe." Remarked Orik, in a slightly mocking tone.

"Well, my dear foster brother, another Rider will join us indeed." Eragon replied

"What? Who?" The others in the mirrors seemed just as perplex. Then Orik understood, and his jaw dropped. One by one, the other leaders understood what Eragon was meaning. Finally, Roran said

"Murtagh".

"It is out of question that I fight by the side of this murderer, Eragon! Never after what he did to my father, and by the way, to my brother as well! To you Eragon! How can you forget what you went through because of him?"

"I think that it is you who forget what _he_ went through under the influence of Galbatorix. He obeyed because the King knew his true name! He couldn't struggle! And besides, I thought you had forgiven him."

"I have" he said, "but that doesn't mean I trust him, and please, don't try to make me believe that you do".

Eragon didn't reply instantly. Then slowly, he said:

"For now, I don't know on which side he will fight, but I will know when I'll meet him in Ellesméra. Don't forget that he is from my family just as you and Roran are. Don't you think it is enough to give him a chance?"

"Do what you want with him, I won't approach him unless he is bound to one of you by the ancient language."

"Even that wouldn't be very efficient with what he knows" Eragon muttered to himself, in a voice so low that nobody except the elves heard him, and only Arya understood what he was meaning. "Anyway" he said out loud. "I just made contact so that you knew that the Dragon Riders returned to save Alagaësia once again. Is there something you would like to add before we go to rest? The journey has been long, and tomorrow we fly for Du Weldenvarden. We will be in Illirea in approximately two weeks, and I will visit the Lake Fläm on our way to the city".

"Just that we are looking forward to meet you again brother" Said Roran with a smile.

"Indeed, mine foster brother" added Orik.

"Everything will be planned for your visit, Firesword and Flametongue. Will you be alone or will Forestblade and Treescales and your students join you?" asked Nar Garzvhog. Eragon raised an eyebrow, wondering who he was talking about.

"Eragon and Saphira will go alone, Garzvhog, but we will meet you on the battlefield." Answered Arya.

 _Oh, of course._

"Everything has been said, I can just add that we are happy that you came back, Shadeslayer" said Jormundur.

"So am I". With that, he ended the spell and looked at his students and the elves. "So," he said, "we still have a lot to do before going to rest. Come, we have yet to greet the dwarven authorities properly, and we still have a lot of work to do here concerning the dragon-dwarves relationships.

"You bet we have a lot of work cut out for us! The dwarves are undoubtedly the most thick headed race in the whole world just under the dragons, so with the ones eating the livestock of the others what could possibly go right?" jested Hrethafgor, and all of a sudden, he became pale; obviously Thorfanda didn't like his comment about the dragons' inner stubbornness and sent him a mental slap. He left the room swearing in dwarvish under the laughs of his masters and comrades. Then, Eragon said:

"Come on, we should be out by now, let's meet the governor, if we are lucky it will be over in less than three hours and we will be able to rest properly before our flight to Ellesméra."


	7. Chapter 6: Who am I ?

**Hey there! Finally some ExA at the end of the chapter! I hope you'll like it! The whole chapter was hard to write, because even if I knew what I wanted to say during the meeting in Dathëdr's rooms, I didn't know how to write it properly. And the Arya part was also pretty hard to write, because I always feared to be OOC with her. I hope I wasn't, and if I was, I am sorry, but you know, twenty years have passed, I have the right to make her change :p**

 **Merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

Chapter 6: Who am I?

After three days of flight, the Riders could finally see Ellesméra under the trees of Du Weldenvarden, unchanged by the years, and probably by the centuries. During the whole journey, Eragon and Arya were flying before the students, slightly apart, and they had discussed a lot about the last twenty years, the important and unimportant happenings, their lives, to make a long story short, they spent their three days catching up, and so did Saphira and Firnen, who couldn't even talk through mirrors.

Ten minutes after they had spotted the elven city for the first time, the eye of Eragon was caught by a red light. When he looked carefully at it, he saw that this little sparkle did belong to a huge wing, attached to a huger body.

 _They are already here,_ he said to Saphira and also to Arya, who was already in his mind to speak with him.

 _I can see Thorn but I can't find Murtagh. Where is he?_ Replied Saphira.

 _Just beneath us, with our welcoming party._ Answered Fírnen.

 _We'll have to face him sooner than we would have liked,_ regretted Arya. _At least if he stands in a crowd of elves who came to greet us, that means that he doesn't have the intention of killing us. Gilderien wouldn't even have allowed him to access to Ellesméra if he did._

 _Well let's go and find out what he wants,_ Eragon decided. Then, he opened his mind to his students and said: _We will meet Murtagh, and I'm sure you have heard a lot of things about him. Nevertheless, if the Black King was defeated, and if Arya and I are still alive, it is because he helped us. So don't see him as a foe but as a friend. Can I be assured that you will consider him as a fellow Rider?_

 _Yes Ebrithil,_ they answered.

 _Good._ Then, to Hretafghor, he whispered: _I know that you have all the reasons to keep grudges against him and that the Dwarves have a good memory when it comes to the ones who harmed your people, but please, don't do anything rash. Even without Eldunarí, he is a formidable foe and he knows the Name of all things. You wouldn't stand a chance against him._

 _As you want, Master._ He replied. Eragon could feel his mind boiling with rage.

 _And please calm down. If you act this way not only you will provoke unwanted tension with Murtagh but also with the elves, who are not particularly fond of the dwarves._

With that he severed the mental link with his students and shared his concerns about the dwarf Rider with Arya who replied:

 _You were not really different when Nasuada decided to accept the help from the Urgals. Even if he trained five times longer than you did, unlike you he had a regular training, so there is no worry to have, I am sure. And he, as all of your students, reached thuatha du orothrim years ago, he won't do anything reckless._

Her words reassured him greatly and he focused on the city below them instead of his student. Then, being in a playful mood for his return in the city that he did consider for a long time as his second home in Alagaësia, he patted the neck of Saphira, and speaking only to her, he said:

 _We've made them wait long enough for us, what do you think of speeding up a little to meet them, partner of my heart?_

 _With great pleasure, Little One._ And she folded her wings, nosediving from fifteen thousand feet, quickly reaching a speed which almost threw him off his saddle. If he straightened on it as he usually did, he would stay behind while Saphira would keep on diving.

 _How to lose a war without even fighting._ Eragon joked.

 _Well, you are not essential in this war, but yes it would be an idiot way to lose one's leader_ , she laughed.

Finally, three hundred feet above the trees, she opened her wings and slowly landed in the middle of a singing and laughing crowd of elves, praising Saphira and the other dragons, who didn't arrive yet. In the front rows, were the much more taciturn elven Lords and Ladies, and the first of them, Dathëdr, the elven King, standing tall, next to Murtagh. Under their usual emotionless mask, Eragon could feel the relief of the elven Lords that they had made it in time. Murtagh on the other hand, didn't hesitate to show his relief, but his enthusiasm was a little tempered by the fact that he knew that he would have to do some serious talk with Eragon. He knew that he still wasn't trusted completely, and he couldn't blame anybody for it since he would have acted the same towards himself if he was in Eragon's shoes.

When all the Dragons landed, each one bellowing loudly in the process, Eragon turned to Dathëdr and started the traditional greeting, followed by his students. Then, they proceeded the same way with the twenty-four Lords and Ladies of the elven court. Murtagh, showing his respect to his leader, spoke first and treated all the Riders as a fellow companion and student, not as an Elder Rider. This gesture helped to ease the tension that could be felt between them, and Hretafghor managed to swallow his pride just enough to shake hands.

 _Well, that is a good start, to say the least. He didn't spit in his hand!_ Thought Eragon.

 _Yeah, well, wait for the celebration tonight, just a little mead or faelnirv and they will grow to be the best friends in Alagaësia!_ Joked Saphira. _Thorn just told me that twenty years of loneliness didn't alter at all Muthag's love for the drink. And I think that I know the Dwarves well enough to assume that Hretaghor didn't forget what it's like to be drunk during his training in Doru Baeraa. Tonight will be fun._

 _Just don't do like in Farthen Dûr when you promised to repair Isildar Mithrim. You almost killed dozens of Dwarfs when you fell._

Saphira snorted but didn't answer. Directing his attention to the elves, he saw that everyone was looking at him expectantly. He apologized quickly, and Dathëdr said:

"Good. Now, waiting for tonight's celebration, we should talk in private about the happenings in Alagaësia since the abduction of Nasuada, and our plans for the battles to come. Follow me in my quarters, please."

When they arrived in the King's rooms, they saw a huge table with different maps on it, representing Dras-Leona, Illirea, and Alagaësia, with several drawings on them, signifying the emplacement and the movement of the troops, their speed, their disposition and all the strategic facts about the friends and the foes. On the map of Alagaësia could be seen a black mass heading toward Dras Leona, and four flags at their head, the biggest and golden one representing the King of Surda, a black one representing the Black General, and two littler black flags, representing the Black Lieutenants, Oragft and Argaft. In Gil'Ead was the flag representing Roran Stronghammer, and from the city left another black mass heading towards Dras-Leona, this one to help the city. Jormundur was in Illirea, recruiting and training human soldiers. In Ellesméra could be seen the eight flags of the Riders plus the green one of Dathëdr, who stayed behind to wait for the Riders while his army had already left and was at the edge of the forest. The dwarves and the Urgals were still preparing their armies, led by Orik, in the Beor Mountains and Nar Garzvhog near the lake Fläm. The city of Belatona had a Surdan flag, and Dras-Leona was circled in red to show that the city was in immediate danger. The first thing that Eragon noticed was that the city-state of Teirm was empty of any modification, no flags, no army, nothing.

"Teirm doesn't intend to help the the Varden? He asked. I thought that even if they had their independence, they still had obligations toward the Brodding Kingdom!"

"At first they did. But around twelve years ago, the city had developed tremendously thanks to its unique opening to the see and to Alagaesiä unlike Kuasta or Narda, who are separated from the rest of the country by the Spine. Nasuada realized that the fact that they were bound to her did prevent any further evolution of the city, due to the various taxes. The rest of the country was in good shape, so she decided to give them more and more liberty, until their complete independence four years ago. Since then they always had good relations with Nasuada and her Kingdom"

"And still they don't appear to take any actions against Surda." persisted Eragon.

"Well, we sent an emissary two weeks ago, and we still don't have any answer from them" Dathëdr admitted.

"Could they have changed their allegiance and sworn fealty to the King of Surda?" Asked Arya.

"For now we can say nothing but suppositions, but I don't know why they would have done that." He answered.

"Seeing this, I think our plans might change." Eragon said. He pointed the Surdan army with his finger and asked: "How far are they from Dras-Leona?"

"If they keep up their pace, I would say in a week and half."

"So we forget about the tour". Eragon sighed. "And we forget about the days of rest here as well. Dellienà, Meclanor and Vethneidr, I have missions for you, and Murtagh maybe as well, it depends of you. Dellienà and Meclanor, I want you to fly with Evraya and Ghastamb to defend Dras-Leona, and you might be assisted by Murtagh and Thorn. You will go the day after tomorrow, so that you can arrive before the Surda. Vethneidr, I want you to go in Teirm with Meltienn and contact the local authorities to know the reasons of their inaction and you'll try to obtain their help."

He added in his mind _"I will also give you one Eldunarí, you can't be too careful."_

The four Riders bowed their heads and Eragon resumed speaking.

"Hretafghor, Thorfanda, Ana, Khrufkhog Arya, Firnen, I and Saphira will fly to Illirea and we will stop by Gil'Ead on our way, to help organizing the defense and the army in both cities. When all of it is done, we will have to wait and see how everything happens."

After this, the meeting drifted towards logistic matters and four hours later, the course of action was settled. When everyone got out of the room, Eragon took Murtagh apart and told him

"I want you to be in my house in half an hour. We have a lot of things to discuss, brother."

"Indeed, we have, brother. You won't have to wait for me."

Half an hour later, Eragon had donned his tired travel clothes for a fine blue lamaraé tunic, blue silk pants and white boots, Brisingr resting next to him. He was at his office when he heard someone knock on the door. He walked down the stairs and went to open the door, and saw Murtagh in a red outfit similar to his.

"You wanted to talk to me?" he said once he had entered in the house of the Lead Rider.

"Yes, I did, and I still do. Please take a seat. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"And you want to know if you can trust me, don't you?"

Eragon looked at him in the eyes and answered:

"Exactly."

Murtagh smiled and said "Well I don't really blame you. But you can trust me, don't worry about it."

"Of this I will judge myself. First things first: what was it like, in the North? Did you find anything new, weird, beautiful?"

"Empty, dead, and cold. But that is exactly what I needed with Thorn, loneliness. And believe me, twenty years were just enough to make peace with myself. So I don't regret anything. There, I lived in a little house, Thorn had a cave just next to my hut, and it was enough for the both of us, we didn't want more."

"If you were that lonely, how did you know that you had to come back?"

"I didn't spend twenty years doing nothing. I did explore the land around me, but I also went to discover unknown parts of magic. I spent twenty years to work on the most hidden secrets of the gramarye, and the knowledge of the Name did help a lot. I have learned a few things that you could like. But I also learned how to eavesdrop on mirror conversations. I used to do it a lot with Nasuada, it reminded me of…" he trailed off. "Anyway, one day, I heard of her abduction. I started to watch all the official conversations between the leaders. That's how I knew about the Surda and the Shade. I decided to come back after I heard the conversation between Dathëdr, Arya and Mulzraug during the Battle of Belatona."

Eragon couldn't believe what he had just heard. But his stupefaction was accompanied by a little sense of unease. He could have been spied several times over the years without even having known of it.

"You did what!? How was it possible?" he asked

"It a simple little spell, a derivative of the scrying spell, I will teach it to you one day or another. Of course, you need to use the Name otherwise the mirror just blows up in your face." Murtagh laughed.

"And what else did you see with it?" asked Eragon, who tried to hide his unease

"I didn't try to eavesdrop on you and Arya, if this is what you are asking" he teased, winking at his half-brother.

Eragon shot him a deadly glare, but deep inside he was a bit relieved. Even if his conversations through mirrors with Arya weren't extremely intimate, they were still private, and he didn't like the fact that someone was eavesdropping, especially if this someone was Murtagh. Finally, he asked the question for which he had summoned Murtagh:

"Murtagh, I must know… Will you fight with the Riders, be one of us and swear fealty to the protection of Alagaësia? Can we trust you as a fellow Rider? Won't you be tempted to seek the power to rule over people and to gain it by bloodshed and violence?"

"On my honor, I swear fealty to the Riders and to its Leader, Eragon Shadeslayer, and I swear that I will do the best to protect Alagaësia in the best way possible, and that I will not seek power to rule over people. I swear to avoid any unrequired bloodshed or violence, and to always privilege negotiation and dialogue. You can trust me."

During the whole conversation, they had been talking in the ancient language, therefore Eragon knew that the oath taken by Murtagh was a true one. He had tried several times to lie in the ancient language with the help of the Name of Names, but it wasn't possible unless the Name was spoken at every sentence. Yet, he still saw a loophole.

"Won't you try to break this oath by using the Name, unless given permission by me or Arya or any other Rider of the Order?"

"I won't" said Murtagh, sealing his fate.

Finally Eragon relaxed in his chair, and allowed a small smile to appear on his lips.

"Good to have you back, brother" he said and with that he hugged him. "Now, tell me of your complete time in the Northern Lands. Even if it was empty, you spent twenty years there, what did you find, and what did you discovered about magic?"

They discussed during hours, talking about their times in unknown countries, both in Doru Baeraa, and the Northern Lands, that Murtagh had called Du Völlar Hvindr, or The White Plains, due to the perpetual layer of snow covering the ground. When Murtagh left, the sun was just above the horizon, and under the trees, everything was already dark. The celebration would take place soon, and Eragon had to get ready for it. Thirty minutes later, he was finally ready to go, when he heard someone knock on his door. Curious to know who it was, he went to open the door, and saw Arya waiting outside. She was dressed in a green and golden dress, barefoot, and her raven hair were flowing freely on her shoulders. She was as beautiful as ever.

"Arya!" he said, smiling, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be already under the Menoa Tree, as the welcoming Rider?"

"You don't think that I would go there alone without my Leader? And it would be nice to walk together under the trees, as we used to do so long ago" she replied

"It would be nice, indeed. It is good to be here once again. I missed this place so much. Back in the war it was almost like a second home, the only place where I found some peace during those troubled times."

"I felt the same way, even if it was, and still is, my actual home. It is good to see you here again, Eragon, you left us for too long."

During the whole way to the Menoa Tree, they talked about the old times and the memories resurfacing. Eragon didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry or maybe both. But he didn't show anything and just appreciated his return in his birth land. When they arrived in the clearing surrounding the Menoa tree, all the Riders were already there, Murtagh included. Saphira and Firnen were nowhere to be found, but the other dragons where walking among the elves, and Ghastamb and Evraya were sitting on a branch of the tree, which didn't appear to be weakened by the two huge masses resting on it. When Dathëdr spotted Eragon and Arya, he raised the voice and started talking to the crowd.

"Elves of Ellesméra the last days were not easy for us. A big part of our friends, parents, or mates left to fight against an army threatening the peace in Alagaësia. But tonight, we are here to celebrate the return of the hero of the Rider War, and his students. Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Brightscales came back to help us in this war, so forget your problems tonight and rejoice, since we will soon have to leave for the battlefield."

Cheers of approval came from the crowd of elves and Riders.

Three hours later, when the night was already far gone, Eragon noticed Arya looking at him. When she saw that their eyes had met, she left the clearing and walked into the darkness under the trees. Wondering where she was going, Eragon followed her, not paying attention to Murtagh and Hretafghor who were coming toward him both laughing and mutually supporting each other, bottles of faelnirv in their hands. When it was too dark for him to see further than four feet away, he searched Arya's mind with his own and located her nearby. He followed the trail and found her in a glade with a little stream flowing peacefully. Then, realization dawned on him: he remembered this glade.

"I remember this place." He said out loud.

"I did hurt you very much that day, I realize it now more than never. For this I am sorry. Now I come here when I want to be alone, it is where I find peace and meditate"

"Oh" he said. "I'm sorry, if you want to be alone I will go now."

"I didn't mean it like that, don't worry" she replied, smiling. "In fact, I would be glad if you stayed here. It might as well help me to meditate on my… To know what I am thinking right now".

Wondering what she was meaning, but not daring to say anything, he sat down next to her and looked at the stars above him. When he looked at her again, he saw that she was in deep thought, or maybe talking with Fírnen. She didn't show anything, but could feel that inside her, she was thinking through something, but he couldn't tell what. Finally, she opened her mouth, and began to say:

"When you left, I… I felt totally depressed and I don't know why. Because of the bond of trust created by sharing our true names? Or because of the great friendship that we had? I can't tell. According to Fírnen, I didn't eat or sleep well during days."

Eragon widened his eyes, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Why was she telling him this? But she hadn't finished.

"I didn't reveal my true name to anyone before you, not even to Fäolin. I think that you've became special to me during your first stay in Ellesméra. I watched you, from a little boy lucky to have been chosen by dragon to the great Eragon Shadeslayer. I can guarantee you that I wouldn't have crossed alone Alagaësia for Nasuada or Angela or any living people, and still I consider them as friends. So when you left… I still don't understand what I am feeling, and I'm telling you this only because Fíren wants me to, but…" she trailed off.

Eragon looked at her, and saw that she had tears in her eyes. Not knowing what to do, but wanting to comfort her, he tentatively started to embrace her and was glad to find out that she hugged him back. In a low voice, he heard her muttering his true name. But he didn't respond to it as he did a long time ago. He smiled lightly and before she could do anything he whispered in her hear his new true name.

His true name was longer than when he left, and the majority of his flaws had been corrected. He had grown to be wiser, and a good teacher. But more important to Arya, the part about her was still there, and if anything, his feelings had only became stronger. Then, she heard Eragon whisper in her hear her own true name, but she didn't respond to it either. She widened her eyes and abruptly left the arms of Eragon, watching him but completely at loss for words. Then, letting her legs take control of her body, she turned her back and left running in the depths of the forest. While she ran, she felt the hot tears running on her face, and this unstopping question repeated endlessly in her head:

 _Who am I?_

 **The longest chapter so far, I'm proud of it, really! :D I wrote it in only three days but I've been touched by a Muse obviously! x) I hope you liked it, the next chapter won't be that fluffy :p**


	8. Chapter 7: When the twig breaks

**Hey! Finally you will get to know the big baddie of the story, King Grebetin of Surda! I had this chapter in my mind for a while and it is really an important one, I hope you like it!** **(Note: this chapter is really violent, but I didn't rate it M, I warn you. If you think I should have, well, I won't, because the rest of the story doesn't deserve the M rating, but remember it while reading)**

 **Sorry for the delay, I started to write this chapter the day I would have had to publish it x) I've been extremely busy with school during this two weeks, and I would have liked to start writing at least on Saturday, but with the attacks in Paris my mind was elsewhere I think you can understand.**

 **#PrayForParis**

Chapter 7: When the twig breaks

When Nasuada finally opened her eyes, her body hurt everywhere, and she couldn't move: her hands, feet and head were tightly enclosed in iron chains, and blood was flowing from several wounds on her body. She was almost naked, only in her undergarments, in what was probably the only one cold room in the Borromeo Castle. She couldn't see anything, as the whole room was plunged into darkness, just as every time when she was alone. The cold was biting her, and everywhere his bite met one of her wounds, she did feel the sharpest pain she could have felt. Suddenly, she sneezed violently, but her head was maintained on her table, opening a new wound on her already scarred brow. She swore loudly, but no one could hear her. It was one of the other tortures that she had to endure: While alone, she spent her time in the cold dark room, and she didn't see anyone apart from the man who came to give her her meals. But when the King wanted to "talk" to her, she was brought outside, in a little courtyard where nobody could see her, and where the heat was suffocating. The result of these repeating changes of temperature was an unstoppable and terribly uncomfortable cold. Even if at first she didn't really care, she had been enduring if for a whole month now. All of this was part of the psychological tortures she was enduring, and added to the physical ones, she was in a terrible state.

Even if during the War she had managed to hold against Galbatorix himself, despite the pain, she was now on the verge of breaking. Every day, she was tortured by the King of Surda, sometimes helped by Mulzraug, his "Personal Shade". She had already been through what Galbatorix had made to her two or three times. She remembered the burn of hundreds of blazing iron bars. She didn't even know how, but Mulzraug had found burrow grubs, and had taken a perverse pleasure to watch her screaming in pain while the little worms were making their way in her flesh. She had experienced their bite a few times now, and she didn't know if she would drown in madness before or after having sworn fealty to the King. Before, she hoped, but for now she hadn't broken or said goodbye to her sanity. She didn't even know how it was possible, but it seemed that what she was experiencing now was worse than what she endured at the hands of Galbatorix, because of many little things, and yet she was still alive, sane, and unbroken.

Her mind wandered for the nth time to the rest of Alagaësia. She learnt a few things from the King, who loved to brag about the cities he took, the crown he would soon have on his head, so she knew of the loss of Belatona, and the war that was beginning. Even if she was a bit relieved to know that her army was in the hands of Roran and Jormundur, probably the two best human warchiefs of her time, she felt deep inside that her own time was over: she didn't know that Eragon had returned with his Riders, and when the King had learnt it by his spies in Hedarth, he didn't tell her.

This is with this morbid thoughts that Nasuada heard the lock of her door being actioned, and she heard three pairs of feet walking on the floor. She didn't see the incomers, but she knew perfectly well who they were: The first one was the jail-keeper, who was also feeding her. She hadn't been able to kill him like she did in Galbatorix palace since she wasn't even untied to eat and drink, barely to relieve herself. The table on which she was lying could be set upright when required so that her jailer could feed her without even freeing her for a second.

Suddenly, she felt Mulzraug and the other man grab the table and begin to walk toward the little courtyard while the King was walking behind them. She know what would follow, and she knew that she wouldn't like it

Her screams pierced the air and the only thing she could hear was the devilish laugh of the King, who was watching her being burnt and cut to pieces by Mulzraug. A red-hot iron bar was resting on her belly, seemingly forgotten, while the Shade was completing her collection of scars on her arms that she had after the Trial of the Long Knives. When her vocal chords could not endure much more screams, she kept opening her mouth without any sound coming from it. But the pain did not stop. Having had enough fun with her arms, Mulzraug seemed to remember the blazing iron on the belly of his victim, and took it without taking care of the new scream escaping Nasuada's lips. He shook nonchalantly the iron to get rid of the bits of flesh still stuck to it, and put it back into the fire. Then, the King of Surda approached her, and asked the same question as always:

"Will you swear fealty to me, Nasuada?"

To which she answered:

"You know, you remind me of that time with good old Galby. He would always ask me that question, and I would always say "No", sometimes adding funny bits concerning his mother" she tried to laugh, but she only emitted a choked sound. "You do not even have is presence and his class, little fellow. You are nothing." She smirked despite the pain.

His face became blank, and said to Mulzraug

"You can get back, dear friend, from there I lead the dance. I assume you know them?" he said, showing a little box from which could be heard the characteristic sound of burrow grubs.

"Shhhkrriiiiissssskîîîîîî, shhhhkrriiiissssssskââââ"

Deep inside, Nasuada was terrified, not only by the burrow grubs, but by the King. For some reason, he was worse than the Shade when it came to torturing her. Nevertheless, she kept on smirking, and said:

" _When he fell, leaving the world,_

 _The immense sea_

 _Opened at his downfall_

 _The bitter abyss;_

 _He dove in, sinister archangel,_

 _And is engulfed in._

 _You, you will drown in the gutter_

 _Little, little"_

His answer came sooner that she would have liked. He let fall the burrow grubs on her skin, and her laughter gave way to a scream of excruciating pain. It was the turn of the King to smirk. During minutes, and even hours, he watched her being torn apart by the pain, sometimes asking the jail-keeper to bring him something to eat or to drink while he was looking at her pain. Finally, he said:

"Mulzraug, if you may?"

"With pleasure, my Lord. It will hurt a little, my Lady Nasuada, I hope you don't mind?" the Shade said with a terrifying smile.

Her eyes opened wide wondering what they would do, and what they had found to make her suffer more. Mulzraug said two words:

"Illgrathr, eldrvarí" Burrow grubs, burn.

She felt like she was burning from the inside and when her vocal chords broke when she screamed, she felt hot blood flowing in her throat. Yet, the pain it caused was nothing compared to the sensation of the burrow grubs burning to ashes under her skin.

"WILL YOU SWEAR FEALTY TO ME?" bellowed the King.

"NEVER, YOU SON OF A RABID DOG!" She replied yelling as well, not caring at this moment that Orrin had been one of her greatest friends despite his flaws.

The King stopped shouting as fast as he had started, and he smiled. This smile frightened Nasuada: he was planning something. He ordered Mulzraug to heal Nasuada's vocal chords only, and started to walk around her. Slowly, he looked for something on the floor, and he found it. He lowered his self to grab a twig with his hands, and watched it carefully. Then, still holding the twig, he approached Nasuada and said:

"You see, it doesn't matter how long you resist. I have all my time, contrary to you. And we all know how it will end: You bowing to me, swearing fealty to Surda forever until you die. Because, at the end, I will break you, like I break this twig!" And following his word, he destroyed the little piece of wood with his hands.

The King stopped shouting as fast as he had started, and he smiled. This smile frightened Nasuada: he was planning something. He ordered Mulzraug to heal Nasuada's vocal chords only, and started to walk around her. Slowly, he looked for something on the floor, and he found it. He lowered his self to grab a twig with his hands, and watched it carefully. Then, still holding the twig, he approached Nasuada and said:

"You see, it doesn't matter how long you resist. I have all my time, contrary to you. And we all know how it will end: You bowing to me, swearing fealty to Surda forever until you die. Because, at the end, I will break you, like I break this twig!" And following his word…

"Wait!" She thought. "Didn't that already happen?"

The King stopped shouting as fast as he had started, and he smiled. This smile frightened Nasuada: he was planning something. He ordered Mulzraug to heal Nasuada's vocal chords only, and started to walk around her. Slowly, he looked for something on the floor, and he found it. He lowered his self to grab a twig with his hands, and watched it carefully. Then, still holding the twig, he approached Nasuada and said:

"You see, it doesn't matter how long you resist. I have all my time, contrary to you. And we all know how it will end: You bowing to me, swearing fealty to Surda forever until you die. Because, at the end, I will break you, like I break this twig!" And following his word…

"What is happening!?" Nasuada was losing all her self-control. She didn't understand why this scene was repeating endlessly. She hadn't heard of any kind of magic permitting to manipulate time in this manner, not even in her own mind. Galbatorix had indeed managed to change her perception of time, but not to set that kind of loop. She tried to move, but for some reason, the magic that trapped the time also trapped her body more than any chain would have been capable of. She couldn't even move her eyes. But her environment could move. Slowly, smugly, Mulzraug approached her, a sadistic smile on his lips, while his King was motionless behind him. Smiling wider, he showed his fangs, and after having watched her during long minutes, he said:

"Enjoy the Eternity Nightstalker"

He turned his back walked to where the King stood, until she couldn't see him anymore. She was alone.

The King of Surda looked at his general, eyes closed, apparently deep in thought. For all he knew, he was doing another one of his magic exploits, and waited for him to come back from his trance state to ask him questions. Finally, he opened his eyes, and he seemed to be slightly tired, even if he stood steadily on his feet. Nevertheless, he had this face of perverse satisfaction that made him shiver sometimes. He was never forgetting what and who exactly was his right-hand man.

"So, will you tell me what you have done to her, Mulzraug?" he asked.

"Of course my King" he replied, bowing. The King frowned slightly but said nothing.

"First things first" he started to explain, "What is time but motion? You cannot go back, you cannot finish it before having started it, but you can stop it, you can repeat it, you can speed it up or slow it down. This is exactly what I did. I trapped her in a perpetual loop, the same thing happens again and again. It cost a lot of energy, even to me, but with my little friends, I can do it. She might not like it forever, and I learned through years that mental torture can be as efficient as physical torture if not more."

"I like the way you think, you know that?" The King laughed. Then he noticed something that could be improved "But the time is flowing as fast for her as for us, isn't it?"

"Indeed my King, why this question?"

"Because you told it yourself, time can be sped up, at least in a human's mind, and a mind is easily influenced, you know, it can see things that don't exist. You may be good with what you do, but I have some ideas that you might like".

The face of the Shade seemed to understand what the King was meaning. And he liked it.

"I like the way you think, my King, it is a pleasure to work with someone like you". He turned his head towards a limp Nasuada and spoke some words in the ancient language.

"I think she won't like it at all" the King chuckled.

Eleven months. Eleven months on this table, without moving, barely breathing, and during this whole time she didn't eat or drink, not that she felt the need to. Eleven months during which she saw again and again the King take this twig, and show it to her. The scene always stopped before he broke the twig, and it started again. Eleven months during which she walked on the edge of madness, and day by day, she felt her mind drifting slowly toward the point of no return. But she was still sane, and even if she wanted to fall deep in the abyss of insanity, so that she was useless to the Surdan King, her reason was still stuck to her, like a parasite. But the perpetual replay of the scene was not the worst. Immediately after being trapped in the time loop, she started to have hallucinations. People that she knew, terribly wounded, dead on the floor, sometimes missing an arm or a leg. She saw herself, dead, or injured, she saw her sometimes at the hands of lustful soldiers, and she couldn't do anything. The Shade had managed to see her greatest fears in her minds, and several times, she saw her kingdom burnt to the ground, Jormundur, Roran, Eragon, Arya, lying dead on the floor. And she saw _him_. Murtagh, impaled on one of Thorn's spikes, with an expression of horror on his scarred face.

And now, she was seeing the thing that she feared the most: High above her, three dragons were fighting each other, a green one, a blue one and a red one. The roars were deafening, and fire was everywhere, the battle was terrible. This was terrifying sight, and knowing that her three greatest friends were fighting each other was breaking her. Then it happened. A tremendous blast of energy came from Saphira, and the three dragons were stunned by the shockwave. Unconscious, the three of them fell from the sky on Nasuada, and she couldn't escape. The sensation of being crushed by three dragons and their Riders was terrible, and even if she knew that it wasn't real, she screamed with all her being and mind. No sound came out of her mouth, but she felt a conscience at the edge of her mind having great fun.

She wanted to cry, and but no tears came out of her, her own body wasn't obeying to her anymore. This when she thought that nothing could be worst that she saw the lifeless faces of Eragon, Arya and Murtagh. Their faces didn't have any expression, and they were covered with blood. They were looking at her and they were not leaving. And she couldn't turn her eyes from their heads, inches away from hers. She couldn't see anything but the dead faces of her friends and of her only true love.

 _NOOOOO!_

 _Will you swear fealty to your rightful King, Nasuada?_ She heard Mulzraug answer from deep within her.

She was devastated, she couldn't handle anything more. And when the first voice she heard in eleven months revealed to belong to a Shade, her soul was lost.

 _I will._

Next to her, the twig in the hands of the King broke.

She felt her jailor opening her chains, and finally, everything got back to normal. She looked at the sundial behind the King, and realized that only one hour had really happened while she was roaming on unknown lands of her mind. One hour that felt like months, and now, she was about to swear fealty to her enemy. She got down to her knees, bowed her head, and repeated what Mulzraug was telling her. During half an hour, she swore her undying fealty to the King of Surda, and that she would do nothing to fight him. Every sentence did decrease her chances to find a loophole, until she couldn't find any. Even free, she was trapped. Finally, when it was over, the King told her

"You are no more Nasuada, you are no more the High Queen of Alagaësia. You are now my chief strategist, and you will be known as the Black Eye of the King. Go and prepare the taking of Dras-Leona with your subordinates"

"Yes" she said. Then, reluctantly, she added

"My King".

 **I hope you liked the chapter, read and review especially for this one :p I don't know if you noticed, but I managed to put a citation from** _ **Chanson**_ **by Victor Hugo, I'm proud of me :p (btw, I made the translation myself I hope it was not too crappy x) ) Until next time, hopefully I won't be one week late x)**


	9. Chapter 8: Who I am

**Hey, hem, I am really sorry for the delay, I have more and more work, and it won't stop, it is becoming really (really) hard… I had the writer's block, it was terrible, and finally, a bit of procrastination made me two (f***ing) weeks late. I am really sorry, I'll soon be in holidays, maybe I'll manage to update on time.**

 **Anyway, I think that you will like this chapter, even if it is short ;)**

 **Merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

Chapter 8: Who I am

The sun was just above the line of the trees when Eragon woke up. Two days had passed since their arrival in Ellesméra, and today was the day when Murtagh, Dellienà and Meclanor where leaving for Dras-Leona. Vethneidr would leave tomorrow for Teirm while Eragon, Arya, Ana and Hretafghor were heading to Gil'Ead to assist Roran before they traveled to Illirea. Eragon gently nudged Saphira's mind.

 _Wake up, my big lizard. It is time!_

 _Call me that once again and you end up in my belly, tiny thing_. She replied, half amused and half angered at being woken up this way.

Eragon chuckled and walked into the bathroom to wash and to shave himself, while Saphira went out to stretch her wings. When he was done with his morning ablutions, he left the room, and back in the living room he didn't see Saphira. Assuming that she was still outside, he stood on the edge of the opening in the wall and mentally shouted:

 _Are you ready, Saphira?_

Sensing her approval in his mind, he jumped from the window and landed on the back of his dragon with a joyful laugh, answered by a deep growl from her: she was laughing too.

It was early, but no one in Ellesméra was asleep, as Eragon could see while he was flying. After having flown together for twenty minutes or so, Saphira resigned herself to head to the place where the young Riders were, waiting for their masters.

Arya was sitting on the grass of the landing area for the dragons. For now, she was alone with Fírnen, and the sun hadn't appeared yet. She was meditating, feeling every single mind and tree in the huge clearing, like Oromis had taught her to do. Then, she felt something else, bright minds coming towards her, from above her. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw Vethneidr and Dellienà. Even if Vethneidr was leaving tomorrow, he wanted to come at the same time as his sister to help her with her preparations. When they landed, Arya saluted them with a short nod and closed her eyes again to resume her meditation. Soon, she was joined by the two other elf Riders. Five minutes later, Meclanor arrived on Ghastamb, and he sat next to his friend Vethneidr to meditate. The four Riders sat peacefully during ten more minutes, when they were joined by Hrethafgor and Murtagh. Even if Murtagh seemed to be a bit unsettled by the sight of five Riders meditating on the grass of Du Weldenvarden, he shrugged, and imitated them. The sun was now up, and its light was touching the faces of the peaceful warriors. During half an hour, nothing, no one moved. The only sound that could be heard was slow respiration of the Riders and the time seemed to have stopped around them, as if they were kept in a little bubble of time, space and peace. Then, a massive blue silhouette casted a shadow on the faces of all the people present. Their eyes opened slowly, as they watched they master and leader land on the soft grass. They stood up, and waited for Eragon to speak. He looked at them, one by one, a kind look in his eyes and finally said:

"You can't guess how glad I am to see all the Riders together, accepting each other, regardless of your differences, of what you did before, united in the same fight against the forces of the Evil. You are the elite, the champions of this world, serving all the races, defending them when they have to face troubles overwhelming them. You fight for your people, for your family, but above anything you fight for your country against those who try destroy it. Today is the first real mission of those who are not Elders, and for the first time you will know the exhilaration in battle, you will feel for the first time your blood becoming hot. The blood lust of your companions of heart and soul will enhance your own, and you will become one of the most dangerous pair of beings in this world. Beware, and do not seek for needless bloodshed. Your first battle, your first life taken on the battlefield will change you, like it changed me, or Arya, or Murtagh. The faces of those you slain might haunt you. So I warn you: you must not face this trial alone, if you need help one of the Elders will always be there for you. Now more than ever before we must stick together, like a family. Prepare your mind for the battle to come, for you know not what you will find in Dras-Leona."

All the Riders bowed to their master, and Arya stayed behind while those who left today were preparing themselves, helped by Eragon. Her morning meditation, Eragon's arrival, and his speech had put her in a state of mind that she couldn't define. She remembered having felt this way only once before, seated next to a white flower, looking deep inside her being. Eragon's speech had moved her, not by what he said, but by what it was revealing about Eragon. The boy who tried to woo her long ago was gone, and she couldn't help but feel a deep admiration for who he had become, with something else that she couldn't define. She remembered everything that happened during these twenty years without him by her side, her time as a Queen, the feeling of loss that she couldn't completely understand, how devastated she was when Iduna and Nëya asked her to remove her yawë after she gave up to the Throne to train the Riders instead. When the flow of painful or happy memories stopped, a sentence in the ancient language appeared in her mind, like an idea of who she was. Without thinking, she whispered the sentence, and her whole being shook at the words, her truth being spoken in the ancient language. Eragon was looking at her at this exact moment, and when he saw Arya shake and glow, he understood immediately what had happened. He smiled lightly, but said nothing and got back to his conversation with his students, knowing that she knew that they would have to talk about it later.

Arya analyzed her new true name. Her sense of duty was still extremely strong, but she was no longer as much dedicated to the elves than before. Her main interest was now the welfare of the Riders, regardless to the politics of the other races, especially the elven intrigues. She understood that this had changed when she chose to train the Riders rather than staying on the Knotted Throne. But more important, in her name, there was _him._ Just as she was in _his_ name, _he_ was in hers. Eragon. They definitely had to talk to each other. She was pulled out of her reverie by the sound of dragons taking off, and while she was saying goodbye to Dellienà, Meclanor and Murtagh, she had only one thing in mind:

 _I know who I am._

Eragon was back in his treehouse, thinking of his pupils who left sooner for Dras-Leona. He didn't know what would happened, and the presence of the Shade worried him. He didn't know if three Riders would be enough to stop him, even if they had an Elder and three Eldunarí with them.

 _They are grownups, Eragon,_ said Saphira, _Dellienà and Murtagh are even older than you, and you trained them for a decade. Stop worrying as if they were hatchlings. May I remind you that with Arya, when I was not one year old, you killed Durza, and that one year later she killed Varaug? They will be fine._

 _I hope that you are right. There is only four Shadeslayers in history for a reason._

 _I am right, Little One. And besides…_

She was interrupted by someone knocking lightly on the door. Eragon went to open the door, and on the doorstep was Arya. Her face was strained by tiredness and a deep reflection, but now she seemed determined. She breathed deeply and said:

"Eragon, I need to talk to you. May I come in?"

"Of course, Arya, you should know that you are always welcome here. Do you want a cup of tea? I was about to prepare one for me."

"Yes, thank you."

She said nothing while the Eragon was making tea, and kept watching the floor. Eragon was observing her, and he could notice a hint of restlessness in her behavior, growing slowly but surely. The silence was kept between them, while Saphira and Fírnen were flying together. When the tea was ready, Eragon gave a cup to Arya, who thanked him, and sat in a chair next to hers.

"So, why did you want to talk to me, Arya?" He asked gently "Judging by the way you act it must be important"

She didn't answer immediately, and Eragon feared that maybe he had angered her by being impatient like that. He stayed silent and waited for her to say something. During a minute she didn't talk, and seemed in deep thought. Finally, she opened her mouth, and hesitantly, she spoke her true name. Her being shook and glowed, and her face showed a huge relief at being able to express who she was in front of someone trustable. She smiled, and finally watched Eragon in his eyes. He saw in hers the question that she was silently asking: "What do you think of my name?" He didn't talk for a minute, analyzing her name, discovering her. Eventually, he bowed his head and told her:

"You have a wonderful name, Arya, befitting the amazing person you are, and I am truly honored to be part of it. I will do everything I can to deserve this place in who you are"

At his words, her face took an expression both of joy and worry.

"I don't know how to deal with it.", she confessed. "Yesterday you were just a young boy, you weren't twenty years old, and I was five times older than you. But now you are the Leader of the most formidable Order of our world, you won wars, you defeated kings, and you are a teacher, a great teacher. Now you are a wonderful man according to everyone, including me. I don't know how to deal with this situation" she repeated.

She now had tears in her eyes, and was at loss for words. Seeing this, Eragon took her in his arms, and tried to console her, delicately. He didn't hear nor feel her crying, but the sensation of her hot tears on his shoulder gave her away. After ten minutes in each other arms, she finally seemed to calm down a little, and she managed to say:

"Do you remember what I told you all those years ago, on the shores of the Ramr River, just before you told me that you were leaving? I told you that if five or ten years later you still felt the same towards me, then perhaps we would have a chance."

"Does it still hold?" he asked, feeling a surge of hope in his chest.

"Yes."

Feeling his heart beating faster and faster in his chest, he looked at her, and seeing approval in her eyes he slowly approached his head next to hers. After what seemed like an eternity, they lips finally met, and the sensation of her lips against his sent shivers down his spine. She kissed him back, gently at the beginning, then more and more passionately. During ten minutes, their lips stayed locked together, both refusing to break contact even if they had difficulties to breathe. When they broke the kiss, panting, they laughed, Arya's perfect laugh making Eragon shiver. Feeling a huge desire for the woman he loved, he took her in his arms, and transported her to the bed, while she was laughing and anticipating what was coming next.

 _It was about time_ , she thought.

The sun was already in the sky when Arya woke up next to Eragon, peacefully snuggled against him, who was still sleeping. She remembered what had happened last night and blushed lightly at the memories, even if she had to admit that it had been a pleasant experience. She noticed that despite the fact that Fírnen was still in her mind, he had cut their link as much as possible so that she could have some privacy with Eragon. For that she was grateful. She left the bed, wearing her night gown, and went to the window to watch Ellesméra from Eragon's tree. Everything was quiet and peaceful. While observing the city under her, she noticed a white spot flying towards her. When the spot was close enough, she saw that it was Blagden, coming to see her. He landed on the window on which Arya was resting her arms, and began reciting:

 _Hate springs, eternal_

 _In this black heart of mine_

 _Time heals nothing_

 _I'll never forgive, never forget_

 _Never, ever_

"What?" She shouted, surprised. Eragon woke up with a start but her mind was focused on what the white bird had just said. "Who are you talking about? The King of Surda? What did we do against him before he attacked us? Is it someone else? Blagden!"

But the raven had already flown away, leaving Arya to her interrogations.

"Wyrda!"


	10. Chapter 9: Teirm, Death's Friend

**Not on time, but almost** **One day I will manage to post regularly again, I promise ^^ It is just that I am DROWNING under an ocean of work, mathematics, physics, and not-so-good grades x) (don't worry I'm not particularly in difficulty compared to other people in my class). I liked writing this chapter, and I hope that you will like reading it too**

 **Merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

Chapter 9: Teirm, Death's friend

"And you are telling me that for two days, they stood there without showing the slightest hint of an impending attack?" Eragon asked, bewildered.

"Yes, Master." Replied Dellienà. "They appeared out of nowhere, just like in Belatona. But this time, they did not attack us. They set up their camp, and made no move toward the city. They do not even use that time to set up siege engines, they just sit idly there, we still do not understand why."

"Did you send scouts to find out the reason of this inactivity?"

"We did.", answered Meclanor. "The scouting party should come back any time soon".

Eragon paused for a while. He was talking through enchanted mirrors with his pupils who had arrived in Dras-Leona three days earlier, after three days of travel on dragonback from Ellesméra. He had arrived in Gil'Ead the day before, and was now in the city's castle with Arya, Ana and Hrethafgor. They had been joined by Roran for the meeting, who wanted to know what was happening in the other parts of the Kingdom. Sooner that day, they had conversed with Vethneidr who had just arrived in Teirm to investigate on the lack of support from the city-state, and according to the elf, he hadn't met the authorities but he felt like something was wrong. From outside the walls of the city, he couldn't hear the usual sounds of the shops, of the streets, to make a long story short the city was completely quiet. Deep inside, Eragon feared that the strange siege of Dras-Leona and the weird ambiance in Teirm might be linked. When he thought back to everything that happened during this war, and the warning of Blagden, that Arya had told him about, he couldn't help but think that he was missing something.

 _I agree with you, Little One, something is not right, but I cannot put the finger on what it is,_ said Saphira.

 _I hope that both the scouting party in Dras-Leona and Vethneidr in Teirm will show something new. I feel like the Surdan King is just the visible part of the iceberg._

"Eragon?" called Murtagh. "Are you with us?"

He blinked. "What? Oh yes, I am sorry, you were saying?"

"The scouting party has returned with news. Here they are." Murtagh said. Then, turning to the scouts, he asked: "What could you glean from their camp? Why are they so inactive?"

The leader seemed to be hesitant, but eventually, he decided himself:

"I think we know why the attack did not happen yet. We watched from afar the movement in their camp, and could notice one thing: from the command tent, we saw the Black Lieutenants come and leave, several Generals, some particular soldiers, we even saw the King himself leave the tent once or twice. But Mulzraug was nowhere to be seen, and believe me, we watched the camp without any pause. There is no way he could have left the camp without us noticing, and it is highly unlikely that he felt us and made himself invisible. The only possible explanation is that the Black General is no more with the army."

The Riders' eyes widened at the news. Then Dellienà asked the crucial question:

"If the Shade is not in Dras-Leona, where is he?"

When his discussion with Eragon was over, Vethneidr put his mirror back in Meltienn's saddlebags, and walked toward Teirm, followed closely by his dragon. The silence from inside the city was really strange, and even as he got closer to the doors, he was still unable to hear anything, even with his keen elven hearing.

 _We should be careful, Vethneidr, this lack of agitation is unnatural. Something has happened here._ Meltienn warned.

 _I can see that, Meltienn._ He replied. _But I would like to know_ what _happened, so that we do not run into a trap._

 _Indeed, I would like to avoid this. Let's go._

They walked for ten more minutes before reaching the doors of the city. They were open and guarded, but beside the four guards, nobody could be seen in the streets. When he walked through the door of the town, he eyed discreetly at the guards, and saw that they were watching him, with an expression in their eyes that looked like fear, and something else that he could not define yet.

 _They are frightened,_ he observed. _What the hell did happen here?_

On his way to the citadel of Teirm, he was unable to see anyone outside. But when he examined with his mind the houses around him, he realized that the entire population was cloistered at home, not daring to leave the safety of the nest. Several times he caught a glimpse of faces looking at him through the curtain, closing it as soon as they saw that they had been spotted. If not for the houses, the city could have been considered as a dead city.

They walked for an hour in complete loneliness and their steps were the only sound that could be heard, as not even the birds were chirping. To say the least, the atmosphere was oppressive and made Vethneidr's hair stand on ends as he approached the tall citadel of Teirm. When he reached it, no one was around and the door was not even guarded, barely locked. Clenching his fist he knocked four times on the door, and waited for someone to answer. He had to call several times more and even asked Meltienn to roar when finally he heard the sound of a lock being actioned. He was surprised to find out that the one who was holding the door was not a servant as it was commonly done in most of human kingdoms, but Lord Risthart himself. When he saw that it was an elf on his doorstep he almost closed the door, but when he saw the dragon behind him his eyes widened and illuminated. Looking back at Vethneidr, he said:

"Oh, I am sorry, I did not see that you were a Rider. Please come in!" he seemed a bit frantic, and was looking everywhere, seeming to check if someone was looking at them.

"You do not want to know why I am here before letting me in?" replied Vethneidr, a bit unsettled by the Lord's behaviour.

The man paused and resumed walking in the castle's corridor, avoiding the Rider's eyes.

"Uh… well I assume that a Rider always has a good reason to visit a city, and they don't see much interest in places other than the citadel. Come on, follow me!"

Vethneidr looked in the eyes of his dragon, and said:

 _Even if his behavior is strange, he is the only one who can answer my questions so I have no choice but to follow him. I am sorry but you will have to stay here, the corridors are far too small for your body._

 _And even if you just told that I was fat, I have no choice but to ask you to be careful, partner of my heart and soul,_ came Meltienn's reply.

Vethneidr followed Lord Risthart in the dark corridor, and started to ask his questions:

"Where are all your servants? Why did you come to open the door by yourself?"

His interlocutor hesitated before answering:

"In Teirm, we … we thought that it would be better for the human condition if no one had to serve us, so… we… kind of abolished the system of servants, and all the former employees of the castle are now fishers, farmers, merchants, and so on."

"Oh, right. I also wanted to ask, why are the streets empty, and your Castle not even guarded? I saw that the whole population was enclosed in their houses. Is there something that I should know?"

This time, Risthart took long seconds to answer, and finally he sighed in defeat:

"Wait for us to be in the conference room, this way I will answer all the questions you might ask, Lord Rider."

He complied, and walked silently by the Lord of the city-state until they reached the door leading to the conference room. A strange smell reached Vethneidr's nostrils: it smelled like…a decomposing corpse. He looked at Risthart next to him, who was acting normally. He opened the door and showing the entry to the elf, he said:

"Come on, enter."

When Vethneidr entered, he understood were the smell was coming from. On the ground laid hundreds of dead bodies, garbed in the servants' uniform, slaughtered by a sword. His eyes widened, and he heard the door being locked behind him. He turned around to see that Lord Risthart was imprisoning him in the room.

"What…"

"I am sorry, Lord Rider, but he told us that if we wanted to be safe, we had to bring him one or several Riders! He has already slaughtered my servants, my guards, the four at the door are the only left! I just want to keep my city safe!"

"Who is _he_ , Risthart? Who did this to you?"

"I'm afraid it might be me, young elf" said a chilling voice behind him.

Fear overwhelmed Vethneidr when he saw who had just spoke. With his black armor, his red eyes and hair, his livid face, he immediately recognized his foe for who he was:

"Mulzraug".

Panicking, he unsheathed his sword and tried to contact Meltienn to ask him to come and take him far from the city, but he saw his dragon being attacked at the same moment by a group of twenty surdan soldiers, preventing him from taking off. He was trapped.

"Himself" said the Shade, smirking. "On mission for his glorious Leader, King Grebetin of Surda, soon High King of Alagaësia. Also known as the Black General, the Butcher of Belatona, and a lot of other names that would frighten you."

"So much titles for a monster such as you. You disgust me." He spat.

 _Vethneidr!_ Yelled Meltienn. _Those soldiers refuse to die! I torch them, I cut them to pieces, but they laugh and keep on attacking me! I won't be able to survive for long!_

Doing his best to avoid fear from appearing on his face, he replied:

 _I've already fought against such soldiers_ , he replied. _Aim for a vital organ, and if it is not enough, crush them under your paw, soup doesn't laugh!_

Then he tried to get back to what the Shade was saying:

"Come on, when I try to lower to the level of the elves and respect their politeness, when I try to respect the protocol, they forget their manners." He said in a desperate tone. "Even your King and your former Queen didn't respect me as they should have, it is awful!"

"You don't deserve respect, monster. You only deserve death. Just tell me one thing: why do you wanted this traitor to bring you Riders?" he asked, showing Risthart with his finger.

"Well, to kill them, obviously! They are a thorn in my flesh and in my King's. But I have to admit that I am a bit disappointed by what your master sent me. It would have been funnier if he had sent one of the Elders, or came himself! It would have been a glorious day for Surda! But well, I assume I'll just have to kill you and bye-bye Teirm."

"Correction", said Vethneidr, mustering his courage "you will try to kill me and die doing so".

"How sweet, little boy" he cooed. "Now come and meet daddy"

He unsheathed his sword with inhuman speed, and lunged at Vethneidr faster than the elf thought possible. He barely had time to parry when the Shade attacked again, aiming at his head. He managed to deflect the blow and moved back so that he could put himself in the state of mind in which he was "seeing what he was looking at". Yet, the Shade didn't allow him to breathe a little, as he pressed his advantage. Vethneidr was totally unable to attack, he was just trying to stay alive, and he realized that if the fight did go on like this, he would not survive for long. He sent a mental probe towards the Shade to submit him, and to his great surprise, he did not meet any defense. But when Mulzraug felt the spike coming from the Rider's mind, he seemed to vanish. Vethneidr was unable to feel his mind, nor his being, nothing, and it was enough distraction for him to miss the blow coming towards his torso.

He felt like he was torn apart as the cold steel cut him from the right shoulder to the left hip. The pain was unbearable, and he felt that he was about to faint. He heard and felt Meltienn roar loudly, as his partner of mind and soul was in danger. He felt his dragon mash his last opponents and take off to protect his Rider. Above him, he could see Mulzraug, smirking and rising his sword to deal a fatal blow that Vethneidr would not be able to avoid. His last memory was the sight of a knife protruding from the Shade's neck, who suddenly had a terrified expression on his face.

Vethneidr woke up in a bed, with a terrible headache. He could not remember how he got in this room, and he did not even know where he was. He tried to sit up, but a nurse that he had not seen rushed to him to force him to lie down again.

"Slowly, Lord Rider. You are far from healed, and you shouldn't move at all. The blade that hit you was probably poisoned, and you must stay here until further notice."

"What? Where am I? What happened, the last thing I remember was…"

He trailed off as he started to remember everything, replaying the scenes in his mind, until the final image.

"He is not dead…"

The nurse gave him a compassionate look and told him:

"It would be better if your dragon explained you everything. I will leave you now, call me if you need something."

She went to the door and knocked three times on it before leaving the room. Vethneidr frowned before opening tentatively his mind to his dragon.

 _Meltienn?_

 _Yes, Vethneidr?_

 _Will you tell me what happened after I passed out?_ He asked.

He felt sadness and uncertainty coming from his dragon, although he tried to hide it.

 _Meltienn?_

The dragon sighed and finally began his tale:

 _I saw through your mind what had happened in the room, before I arrived. Before vanishing, Mulzraug managed to kill Risthart. You were the last alive in the castle, and I knew that Mulzraug was still alive, as he had not been stabbed through the heart. Therefore, I decided against staying in Teirm where you would not be safe, and carried you towards the nearest town, Kuasta. I was right to move you from the city-state-human-nest. We learnt that it had been completely destroyed this morning, there is no survivors. Some horsemen were heading to Teirm and they just found a bloody crater. Even the houses were turned to dust._

 _Mulzraug has had enough time to regain a physical form? How long was I asleep?_

 _More than three days, I am sorry._

 _Three days!_ Vethneidr had difficulty processing what had happened since he was last awake. He had just left for a diplomatic mission! And now he was convalescing in a hospital in Kuasta, after being wounded by a Shade!

 _Yes, and there is worse, far worse._ Vethneidr felt the deep sorrow of his dragon, and he prepared for the worst. What could be more terrible than the destruction of a whole town? _The blade that Mulzraug struck you with was poisoned._

 _I heard the nurse saying something like this. But I am conscious, am I not? A bit tired, but I am mostly fine! It cannot be that terrible!_

Vethneidr felt Meltienn's sorrow deepen, and he could tell that something was being kept from him.

 _Meltienn, what are you not telling me? What is it that you are hiding?_

When the dragon refused to answer Vethneidr felt the panic swell within him.

 _Meltienn, talk to me, what's wrong? Do you know the name of the poison on the blade?_

 _I guessed it from the observations of the nurses,_ he relented. It felt to Vethneidr as if his dragon was about to cry, if he could.

 _And? What is in my blood? Meltienn!_

The dragon didn't answer immediately, and Vethneidr doubted that he would answer at all.

 _Meltienn!_

 _Fricai Andlát. Death's Friend_

Vethneidr was stunned, could not think or talk properly. _Fricai Andlát…_ As every elf, he had heard about this poison, and knew what it meant.

 _Are you sure?_

 _I am. The dose that the blade injected you would have been enough to kill you within few hours, if not for your sleep. It slowed the poison, but it will not last forever._

 _So why am I still here, Meltienn? Shouldn't we be flying toward Ellesméra? Please, Meltienn, take me there, I don't want to die on my first mission! I will sleep on your back during the travel!_

 _We are already flying toward the elven city, Vethneidr. And you are already sleeping._

 _What? No, we are not! I am awake in a bed in Kuasta! And by the way, where are you?_

 _We_ are _flying toward Ellesméra, you_ are _asleep and I am beneath you carrying what matters the most in my universe: you. There is not only our discussion going on in your mind. The enchanted sleep in which you are replays constantly the last memory you had while awake, when you woke up in Kuasta two hours after our arrival. You just don't remember it. It is the tenth time we have this conversation, Vethneidr. Don't worry, we will reach Ellesméra, and you won't die, I promise you that._

 _Meltienn?_

 _Yes?_

 _Thank you for saving me._

 _It is what a dragon does for his Rider. Sleep now, you are burning too much energy._


	11. Chapter 10: To War!

**Hahaha, finally! :D I had this plot twist in my mind since the beginning, and it is the MAJOR turning point of the story! I know, I told fredo747 and SUVictorum that I planned to do it later, but no, I do it now, because otherwise the chapter wouldn't be long enough for something like this ^^ Tell me in the reviews if you expected this to happen**

 **Just another thing: Now I have too much work and therefore I don't have the time to write during the week, so I can write only during the week-end. I won't be able to update every two weeks, but I still have a lot of things to tell, so don't worry, I don't give up on this story**

 **Merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

Chapter 10: To War !

"Dellienà, please, it would be better for all of us if you weren't here to listen what we have to tell." said Eragon with a sigh. "The important points of the meeting will be recounted to you by Meclanor and Murtagh."

The three concerned Riders raised an eyebrow and Dellienà tried to argue:

"But, Master…"

"Please, Dellienà. You will know everything you need to know from your friends, but later."

It wasn't the stern tone of Eragon but his tired and worried look that convinced her to let go and to do as she was told.

As soon as she had left the room, Murtagh muttered a spell to prevent anyone from eavesdropping on them and he started questioning Eragon:

"Why didn't you want her to attend this meeting?"

"Because of the news that I'm bringing. I fear that they could distract her from this war, given the fact that she never really lived without her brother."

Horror appeared on the faces of the two Riders, as they understood what Eragon was meaning.

"Something has happened to Vethneidr?" Said Meclanor. "Is he…"

"No, at least not yet. Dathëdr contacted us earlier this day to inform me of what had happened. He couldn't learn anything from Vethneidr himself as he had been poisoned with Fricai Andlát and is still comatose. Meltienn told him what had happened in Teirm. They have been attacked by Mulzraug and barely managed to escape. We also know that Teirm has been burnt to the ground by Mulzraug after Vethneidr escaped. With her brother being that close to death, do you understand why I didn't want Dellienà to be with us?"

"I do." Acquiesced Murtagh. "And what about Vethneidr? Will he survive?"

"According to the elves, he won't die." Answered Arya. "The poison has been in his blood for much less time than it had stayed in mine when Durza tortured me, but the dose injected is by far more harmful than it was for me. As far as we know, even if he doesn't die, we don't know when he will wake up. He could be walking and talking tomorrow just as it could be in a millennium."

"Oh..."

Meclanor was about to say something when the sound of a war horn interrupted them, and Dellienà ran into the room to warn her companions.

"The Surdans are attacking us with Mulzraug and Grebetin at their head! Let's defend Dras Leona!"

Eragon watched as his pupils and his brother left the room to fight for the city. Deep inside he hoped that they would all survive and come back in one piece.

"Fight well, Riders."

* * *

"So you understand what you have to do, Nasuada?" Asked the King.

"I aim at the Riders in priority and I do everything I can to avoid death. I am to spare no one of my former Kingdom." She recited, trying not to show how close to the tears she really was. It would only increase the pleasure he had at torturing her.

"Good girl" he said, patting her head. "Now go and destroy my enemies for the glory of my Empire!"

* * *

The battle had just started but the chaos was already omnipresent. As Murtagh was flying above Dras-Leona for the first time since being Galbatorix's slave, he could see that the strategy of the Surda was different than in Belatona. Instead of three groups attacking three different doors, they chose to split their force in five little armies, four of them trying to break each door, and the last one attacking the walls. With only three Riders available, the Surdans were increasing their chances to break through the city, even if the defenders of Dras-Leona were resisting for now. He could identify four of the group leaders, Orgaft, Argaft, Mulzraug, who was attacking the wall, the King, who was fighting now unlike during the siege of Belatona, but he couldn't guess who the last chief was. Garbed in a black armor, he could only tell that she was a woman.

 _Can you see anything in particular that could tell us who she is?_ He asked to Thorn.

 _Only that she is too quick to be a normal human,_ he replied. _Or it is another Shade, or it is a magically modified human, because I don't think that an elf would join them._

 _One Shade is already too much, I hope that this isn't another one._

 _So do I._

At the same moment, a terrible explosion shook the ground. Bodies were projected in the air, and a cloud of dust surrounded the area where a wall was standing seconds before. When Murtagh could see what was happening, his heart sank. The wall that Mulzraug's group was attacking was widely open and men in Surdan armor where running towards the heart of the city. The defenders where almost all dead, and even if men from the citadel where trying to hold back the flow of men, the battle had suddenly taken another course. He cast his mind towards Dellienà and Meclanor:

 _I want you to go to where the wall exploded and help the defenders! Try to prevent Mulzraug from opening the other doors from the inside, and if you fight him, always be together! You wouldn't stand a chance against him alone! I will meet the attackers at the southern door, I want to know who this new leader is._

 _We are on our way._

 _Come on Thorn, let's meet her._

The red Dragon changed his trajectory to meet the army attacking the southern door. Immediately, the Surdan war chief retreated behind half a hundred soldiers who attacked the Rider, all at the same time. Murtagh barely had the time to unsheathe his sword to parry the first blows while Thorn was slaughtering the foes that his Rider couldn't reach. Bodies were piling up around them, but more and more men kept coming while the woman in black armor was protected and giving orders to her soldiers to breach the door. Seeing that just defending themselves would only result in being prematurely tired, Murtagh reached Thorn with his mind.

 _Do you think that we can break the circle of soldiers to reach her?_

 _On my cue._

Thorn sent a dozen of soldiers to the ground with his tail and shouted:

 _Go!_

Murtagh jumped toward the woman and dealt a blow that would have cut her in two if she hadn't parried. But before he could retaliate, he was attacked again by Surdan soldiers who were trying to protect their leader.

 _Attack her while I deal with these soldiers,_ said Thorn.

Murtagh mentally nodded and turned back to the woman when he saw the blade coming toward his head. Not fast enough to rise his sword and block the oncoming blow, he sidestepped and the sword missed its target. But it hit another one. Murtagh screamed when he felt the sharp pain in his leg, and Thorn roared behind him, feeling the pain of his Rider. Now wounded, Murtagh could just hope that he was still one of the best swordsman of the Kingdom. The woman attacked again, but this time Murtagh saw it coming. He dodged the attack and tried to stab her in the chest. But once again his sword met hers.

 _She is definitely faster than a human, Thorn._ He worried

 _So are you, so fight and defeat her while I'm watching your back!_

Murtagh lunged for the woman, aiming at her head, and she parried just as easily as before. Instead of breaking the exchange of blows like he did twice before he attacked again, trying to tire her. The fight consisted in a flurry of blows, parries, foul plays, but none of the antagonists managed to take the advantage on the other during long minutes. Later, the songs told that the swords were dancing in the air and that the bodies of the fighters were offering a spectacle that one could only admire. But something unsettled Murtagh during their exchange, a sound coming from her. Was she…crying? Several times he tried to pause the fight to talk to her, but she was never stopping.

 _Thorn, could you knock her down with your tail so that I can know who she is? And please, try to avoid killing her._

 _That's cheating,_ he replied, half-laughing, and with that he kicked the woman in the chest, sending her flying ten feet away.

Murtagh jumped on her before she could stand up and maintained her on the ground with his foot. The woman finally seemed to calm down, even if he still could hear her crying.

"Who are you, Surdan? Why are you leading a rebellious army against the glorious Kingdom of Queen Nasuada?"

Slowly, the woman directed her hand toward her helmet, and she removed it, revealing the face of Nasuada, crying.

* * *

Murtagh's mouth opened in shock, and Thorn roared again, projecting fire towards the surdan soldiers, leaving just a path of roasted armors.

"You!"

"Please, keep your foot against me, that's the only way for me to stop attacking you. I have order to kill the Riders if possible and to avoid death at all cost. And I can't do anything to counter these orders."

"You have sworn fealty to the King?" Murtagh shouted in utter disbelief

"I didn't have the choice, I couldn't die even if I tried to, and what I've suffered at their hands… I'm so sorry." She burst in tears, and Murtagh could tell that she had reached the point of no return, as even during her captivity with Galbatorix he hadn't seen her cry.

"What can I do?"

"The King didn't ask me to avoid captivity. You'll have to tie me up but without releasing the pressure on me or I'll escape."

 _Thorn, please, leave for the city and bring me a rope. I'll wait for you here._

 _What? No! With all the soldiers around? You, go to the city, and I will hold her. It's safer._

 _No, the doors are closed, there are too much soldiers on the way to the city and I can't fly. And…it is Nasuada._

 _What is it supposed to mean?_

 _You know perfectly well what it is supposed to mean. Please go, and be quick. I can hold my position here._

 _With a foot pressed on her ribcage? You can't walk or run if needed!_

 _That's why you need to be quick. Please._

Thorn growled but didn't argue further and took off toward the city.

"Where is he going?" asked Nasuada.

"Towards the city. We must find something to tie you up" he replied simply.

"On the ground with your foot pressing on me, that's not exactly how I imagined our future…" she said with a sigh.

Murtagh looked at her and tried to decipher her face to see if she was just trying to escape or if she was sincere. She seemed to be sincere. He lost himself in her eyes and was about to open his mouth to answer when a shout behind him brought him back to reality. A soldier had profited from Thorn's absence to attack him. The soldier being behind him, Murtagh had difficulty to parry and again more to retaliate. Feeling that he was about to lose his balance, he readjusted the position of his feet. At this moment, the time seemed to slow down. Murtagh could see both the head of the soldier being separated from his body and his own foot leaving Nasuada's torso.

"NO!" They shouted in unison.

But it was too late. Nasuada's oaths already compelled her to stand up and reach for her sword. The next thing he remembered was seeing Zar'roc protruding from her back, piercing her heart. Just before his eyes was the tearful face of Nasuada. She whispered:

"Thank you, Murtagh".

And she closed her eyes, forever.

* * *

 _Do you think that there will be enough of the four of us to defeat him?_ Asked Meclanor in Dellienà's mind.

 _At least we can defeat his men. I still haven't met any human even with augmented capacities that could manage to beat a Rider and his dragon. And if we have to face him, remember that Eragon and Arya killed two Shades together without two dragons to help them, barely Saphira when Eragon killed Durza._

 _Let us hope for our sake that you are right._

 _Come on, smile, little human!_ Said Evraya, Dellienà's dragon. _Show your fangs and your claws, today no one will be able to stand against us!_

Evraya and Ghastamb nosedived and landed heavily in a mass of Surdan soldiers, showering them with fire. War cries were meddled with death rattles, and this was in this maelstrom of noises, smells and colors that the two young Riders started their slaughter in the enemy ranks. For a slaughter it was. The Surdan soldiers had been caught unprepared, and the surprise attack gave the advantage to the city defenders who were preventing the foes from escaping. Dellienà's purple blade and Meclanor's yellow sword were dancing, slicing into the flesh, cutting the bones, penetrating the armors effortlessly. The two Riders and their dragons were as beautiful as they were deadly, and if an unlucky blade met theirs, its wielder knew that his time had come. During minutes, then hours, they ravaged the ranks of the enemy, and they were still far enough of the Black General to avoid being targeted by the Shade. But eventually, it was Evraya who first spotted the black armored man coming toward them.

 _Mulzraug is coming towards us, be careful young lads._

Seconds later, the two Riders saw the ranks of their enemies opening on a black silhouette. The soldiers retreated from the fight and those who were not in immediate danger of being beheaded by a loyalist blade stopped fighting to watch the confrontation between these beings of legend. The Riders tried to hide their apprehension of the approaching fight, but they knew that they had failed when Mulzraug said, with a sadistic smile plastered on his face:

"This is the moment when you say "Oops". Maybe you shouldn't have attacked my men after all."

Dellienà said nothing and pointed her sword toward the Shade, defying him. Meclanor took a determined look and imitated the elf. The two dragons roared and spat fire at him, blinding him momentarily. This was the moment the Riders chose to attack the Shade, who was already waiting for them. He managed to parry the two blows and projected his foes few feet away with a wordless spell. The elf and the human looked at each other, wondering why the Shade would use magic without speaking, given how dangerous it could be.

"How uncivilized of you, attack a man that cannot see you coming. Did not your Master teach you the manners?"

Then, looking closely at Dellienà, he seemed to discover something. His eyes widened in mock surprise, and his mouth formed a 'o'. A smile crept on his face, and he said:

"Your face reminds of another Rider that I met in Teirm. Oh yes, you are his sister, right? He mentioned your existence during his agony. Well, sorry for your loss, milady."

"WHAT?" Dellienà howled. "What did you do to Vethneidr, monster?"

"Oh so his name was Vethneidr, right? I killed him, since you ask."

"You will pay for this, Shade, I swear!" She tried to jump on Mulzraug, but Meclanor managed to make her remain still.

"Calm down!" he shouted under the Shade's laugh. "He is not dead! He survived and he is being healed in Du Weldenvarden!"

"You knew it?" She yelled? "You knew it and you told me nothing? Give me ONE good reason not to kill you right now Meclanor, just one!"

The Shade laughed harder.

"We had a good reason to keep you in ignorance! You see how you react now? Calm down, please!"

"Yes, do you hear what is saying your little boy friend? You'll need to calm down, milady." He said, between two laughs. And as soon as he had finished talking he attacked them, sword pointed towards Meclanor. The Rider was not fast enough to parry or to avoid the attack, and he was caught completely off guard, having underestimated the madness of the Shade which made him totally unpredictable. Time was slowing down, he could see the sword coming straight towards his chest, he could see the terrified look of Dellienà watching as she was about to lose what she could define as her best friend, he could see the liquid poison dripping from the blade, he could see himself about to die in the eyes of his companion. His last thought went to his dragon.

He was lucky that the said dragon had seen the blow coming and was fast enough to block it. The sword flew away, spinning. Ghastamb roared in pain as the sword cut his front talons, leaving only bleeding clawless pieces of flesh and bones.

 _Ghastamb!_ Shouted Meclanor in his dragons mind. _The poison!_

 _Don't worry, I'm a dragon, I'm far bigger and heavier than you. I might feel a bit dizzy but that's all. Focus on Mulzraug, even without his sword you should be careful._

"Congratulation, dragon!" said the Shade. "By forcing me to use magic instead of a sword you made me far more dangerous than you would have liked"

"Oh please just shut up." Spat Dellienà, lunging at the Shade, aiming for his heart.

"Your Master really didn't teach you the manners, did he?" Replied the Shade on the conversation tone, parrying the sword with his armored arm.

The Shade opened his mouth, undoubtedly to utter a spell, but he was interrupted when he heard a pained roar coming from the southern door.

"Uh-oh, it may seem that my last puppet didn't last as long as I would have liked. The party is over my friends."

Mulzraug started to speak extremely fast in the ancient language, weaving a complex pattern of spells. Dellienà immediately recognized what effect the spell would have and her eyes widened in fear. She didn't take the time to think and jumped on Evraya, shouting with her voice and her mind to Murtagh and Meclanor:

"We must leave the city now! If we stay we die in less than a minute!"

Meclanor didn't ask any question and did as he was told. Dellienà perceived that Murtagh had also followed her order, and indeed seconds later she saw Thorn rising from above the city. But something didn't feel right about Murtagh's mind. She felt a deep sorrow emanating from him, and she couldn't know why. Once in the air, Meclanor asked the permission to enter Dellienà's mind:

 _Why did we have to leave that fast? You know that because of this the city might be lost?_

The elf didn't have the time to answer. A gigantic explosion shook the ground, and the whole city was hidden behind a cloud of smoke looking like a mushroom. The shockwave almost sent the dragons to the ground, and the Riders were maintained on the saddle only thanks to their leather straps.

 _What was that?_ Asked Murtagh, bewildered.

 _Mulzraug used a variant to the spell that Galbatorix used to blow himself up. He converted the body of three or four of his men into pure energy. One body is enough to explode a castle, imagine what it would be with four men._

 _Is there a chance that Mulzraug died in the explosion?_ Asked Meclanor.

 _I don't think so. The explosion is made of pure energy, nothing physical that can pierce his heart. And I think that he is warded against any possible spear that is not itself protected against magic. Which means that he is not dead and that we can kill him only with a Rider sword._

 _There is still something that I can't understand_ , observed Murtagh. _This kind of explosion is creating radiations that renders unlivable a big territory, possibly far bigger than Dras-Leona. The Surdan King wants to reign on this country, or at least this is what he is saying. So why would he allow his Shade to cause such destruction? First, Mulzraug destroys Teirm, presumably under his King's orders, then this… I feel like we are missing something. I wonder if the Surdan King wants to reign on the Kingdom or if he wants to destroy it._

 _On this I have to agree with you,_ acquiesced Meclanor.

* * *

Mulzraug was walking slowly in the corridors of the castle, towards the main room of the castle where his King was waiting for him. This was the day after the battle. After the departure of the Riders and the explosion, taking the city had been relatively easy. At one time, he had thought that he had found some sort of challenge in the last priests of Helgrind, but he had slaughtered them all as easily as normal men.

 _Disappointing,_ he thought.

Eventually he found himself in the tall, windowless and gloomy room, with torches alit on the walls. Facing him was the King, sit on the only chair of the room, forcing Mulzraug to remain standing. They were alone, and the men who were usually guarding the doors had been asked to secure another part of the city.

"You wanted to see me, my King." he said, bowing.

"Indeed. There are some things that I would like to discuss with you. Some little things that you might want to explain."

"My King?" said Mulzraug, slightly taken aback.

"First of all, I would like to talk about the destruction of Teirm and the explosion of yesterday. I didn't give the order to do that, not even the authorization. Many of our men died in this explosion, men that we will need later! Teirm could have helped us! And by this explosion you made the whole area unlivable! I'm trying to reign on a country, not on a conglomerate of empty cities!"

"My King, you didn't need the help from Teirm, they would have betrayed you just as they betrayed me, and..."

"You destroyed a whole region just because one man tried to resist!" he cut him. "And yesterday's explosion? What justified this?"

"The Riders were about to use such destructive spells against me, and our number of soldiers there was close to zero. I only defended myself." lied the Shade. "Besides, I isolated the area of radiation to a radius of only three hundred feet. You still have the city for you."

The King snorted but didn't pursue the subject. Taking a pile of papers, he said:

"There is something else that bothers me way more than your actions in Teirm and Dras-Leona. I received this on my desk this morning. This is the proof of a payment. And guess who paid what to whom?"

"I can't wait to know, my King" the Shade replied, even if deep inside he already knew what the King had in his hand.

 _Exactly on time._ He thought. _Perfect for the following of the events._

"It is a payment for the poisoner known as Custelo. Client: Mulzraug the Shade. Target: King Orrin of Surda. Edifying, isn't it?"

"Where is the problem, my King? You despised your father for his weakness, didn't you? I thought that it would be a good idea to kill him so that you could lead the country to its glory."

"It was before I contacted you, Mulzraug. And look at how you are behaving towards me, like a puppy dog obeying to its master. Where is the Shade that offered me this scar two years ago?" he said, showing his marked face. "What are you hiding, Shade?"

"Now that you are mentioning it, Grebetin." He unsheathed his sword with blinding speed and sank it in the King's stomach.

"I've been observing you for a while, little King." said the Shade. "And as you so judiciously observed, Orrin was weak, he couldn't serve my plan to conquer this land. Now, I don't need you anymore, or more exactly I need you dead. The death of their King usually makes soldiers more ferocious, you see? By the way, thank you for making you the temporary heir of the throne. I'll still need your soldiers, young man." He winked at the King and let him fall to his knees. With a quick movement, he retired his blade from the King's belly and beheaded him.

"What a mess. The humans are completely unable to die with class."

He muttered a spell to clean his sword and walked to the closest window where he could see the streets. Magically amplifying his voice, he shouted:

"People of Surda! Listen to me on this fateful day!"

People stopped walking, and a growing mass gathered under the window from which the Black General was talking. When his public was big enough, he resumed his speech.

"Today our beloved king was murdered by cowards of the Brodding Kingdom! They killed him in an unfair fight, during which he managed to slaughter ten foes by himself! But don't worry! The King made me his heir to the Throne, and this is with the conviction that his work must be finished that I take the crown! Today I promise, the Brodding Kingdom will fall to us! To war!"

"TO WAR!" Replied the roar of thousands of people.

"To war! And let us slaughter this cowards!"

"TO WAR!"

"To war!"

"TO WAR, FOR THE SURDAN KINGDOM!"


	12. Chapter 11:Under the Cathedral

**And I'm baaaaack! Five months later, but still, it's good to write again. And this break was actually beneficial for the story since I wasn't supposed to write this chapter, and therefore the whole narrative arc that it created wouldn't have existed. So yeah, I didn't spend five months not thinking about this story. I already have two more chapters ready and I will publish them every two weeks as I used to do, that should be enough so that I can go on with that pace until the end (because YES I will finish this story no matter how long it takes).**

 **Anyway, merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

 **PS: The "riss" that I introduce in this chapter is approximately the same sound that the roar of the dragons in Game of Thrones, and the Leonians are the inhabitants of Dras-Leona. I don't think anyone named the habitants of this city before and I liked the word, so… :p**

Chapter 11: Under the cathedral

Mulzraug, former Black General, Black King of Surda, and first Shade in Alagaësian history to become King of a country was walking quickly in the streets of Dras-Leona. He absolutely wanted to check something, and it apparently had to do with the cathedral of Dras-Leona. He had heard rumors about strange events and noises around the old building and according to his spies in the streets, some humanoid creatures cloaked in black had been spotted several times during the nights. If what he thought was true, he could have a tremendous advantage on his enemies for the battles to come, even though he was fighting a force that was helped by eight Riders and their dragons.

 _Well, seven now_ he thought with a smile. _And on my side I still have my little friends._

When he thought that he felt a broken mind enter his own and he felt the confusion of this mind. The entity was having several different thoughts and emotions at the same time, wanting to attack, to withdraw, to speak, and above everything to cry, given how deep was his sorrow. But he couldn't do anything and peacefully retreated of the Shade's mind, all the way leaving a trail of unconceivable sorrow. Feeling this intrusion in his mind, the Shade responded by a painful mental spike and the mind writhed in pain, the only reaction that anyone could obtain from him.

 _Easy lad, you don't want me to damage you more than I already have. You should take example on your companions._

His face showing nothing of what was happening in his mind, the King kept walking in the streets, sometimes stopping here and there to punish the fools that didn't bow before him. Sometimes instead of bowing, the citizens would cower in fear when he set his red eyes upon them. That was enough for the Shade. The first real incident happened just before he reached the door of the cathedral. A man who obviously disagreed with the Shade's rule jumped on him with a knife, seeing an opportunity to end the King's life since he wasn't accompanied by guards. The poor man hadn't landed a single blow that he had already lost his members and his member. Just before ending the miserable man's life, he raised his voice and shouted:

"People of Dras Leona! See this traitor, at my feet, bleeding and screaming! This is what happens to those who wish to disturb the order in this city and all those under my rule! You shall receive no mercy as long as the war rages on! To remind you of your allegiance to me and to Surda, and of what happens to traitors, this man's head will rest for one month on the highest spire of the cathedral!"

Giving a last glance to the man who now seemed terrified after what he had heard, he beheaded him and launched his head towards the cathedral, muttering a spell under his breath so that it landed where he wanted. A slight 'thump' was heard, and the streets remained deadly quiet while Mulzraug resumed his walk towards the cathedral. Given that the monument was a masterpiece of architecture, Nasuada had chosen to rebuild it after the war and transform it into a museum of the religions instead of abandoning it after the annihilation of the Leonian barbaric religion. Aware of the danger represented by the network of tunnels under the building, she had chosen to close all the hidden passages and doors that led to it. That was precisely what Mulzraug had come to check. Inside, the building was clean, but still very dark despite the numerous candles lit along the walls, as if the darkness that the cathedral once sheltered had never left. He knew precisely where what he looked for was. There, just behind the transept, hidden behind a tapestry, was a door that was supposed to be sealed with melted iron. But the iron had been broken, and the door was slightly open. Mulzraug had a small smile before pushing the door and entering the dark corridor.

* * *

After having walked for approximately an hour, Mulzraug started to hear strange hisses and clacking sounds, like the sound of beaks. He took several more steps and finally found the entrance of a large room. It was almost as big as the cathedral above them, and a purple light gave an eerie look to the room. This light was provided by purple stones on the wall, apparently amethysts. Before him he saw a stripe of broken amethysts crossing the room from the left wall to the right, and on the wall facing him he saw chains and shackles. It was obviously a torture room. But what captured his attention was the eight black creatures eyeing him cautiously. Four of them looked like dragons, with wings, sharp claws, but without scales and with big nasty red eyes. The four others could have looked like humans with a cloak, but without it, they almost resembled insects, with their thick carapace and protruding red eyes without pupils.

"Ra'zac!" The loud voice of Mulzraug echoed through the room. "You undoubtedly know that the governance of the city changed a few days ago. You used to be feared, hunted, despised. I have come to offer you something better than this life spent hiding in the tunnels! I offer you a work, people to slaughter and eat, and the promise that I will make your race great again! You shall have the opportunity to taste meat from outside Dras-Leona. All you have to do is pledge yourself to me!"

The Ra'zac didn't say a word, still observing that strange red-haired and crimson-eyed man that was obviously unafraid by them, and immune to their breath, this man that had found them despite all their precautions and that offered them such a beautiful future, all that against several words. It took half a minute for one of them to move. The biggest of the Lethrblakas turned his head towards one of the crazoracs and started to produce hisses, clicking and creaking sounds with his beak. What they didn't know is that the Shade had already met Ra'zacs several times and had learnt to master their way of communication, even though he wasn't himself able to reproduce the sounds that they used.

 _Be careful my son,_ he said. _Although he looks like a man, during my adventures in and out of this place I have heard stories of beings like him. He is a Shade and we should be careful with a creature like him. He is far more powerful than he looks and serves only his own purpose. Ask him how he found us._

"How did you find usss, Shade?"

"You are not as discreet as you seem to think." He said politely. At these words, the Ra'zac tensed slightly and Mulzraug saw it. He managed to prevent a smirk from appearing before adding.

"But that will be enough for me. What is your answer to my proposition?"

"Let usss dissscusss about it, Shade."

One of the crazoracs raised his head towards the Lethbrlaka that had spoken previously and started the conversation in their strange tongue.

 _Prideful Snake, you mentioned that the Shades serve their purpose. The purpose of an elf is to protect his forest, the purpose of a dwarf is to dig holes in the mountains, the purpose of an Urgal is to fight and to win glory, and the purpose of a man is to feed us. But tell me, what is the purpose of a Shade?_

 _They want two things: chaos and blood. It is just the way to achieve this purpose that depends on the Shade. Some of them just kill until they are killed, others start wars juts to see peoples tear themselves apart, others seek power for themselves, destroying everything in their paths. Where there is a Shade, there is blood._

 _And meat, Prideful Snake?_ Asked another crazorac

 _And meat. What I don't know is of which kind of Shade is this one. If we are to work with him, I just hope that he is not of the third kind as they are the most cunning and evil kind of Shade._

 _Given what this being told us and what you told us, Prideful Snake, I think that we should accept his offer,_ intervened another Lethrblaka.

 _I agree with you, Venomous Tongue. I don't want to hide and wait for a hypothetic revenge anymore. Give him our answer, son._

"We accept your offer, Shade. We will pledge ourssselves to you, we will ssslaughter and ssstrike fear in human heartsss for you."

"Well I won't." Said a loud and strong voice, echoing though the room, coming from a dark corner of the place, where was hidden the owner of the voice.

Mulzraug grinned. From the beginning he had felt the presence of this ninth Ra'zac, waiting in the shadows, wondering why this one didn't want to appear and to talk with the others, and not daring to intrude in his mind while he was still negotiating the alliance with the other Ra'zacs. And now his open refusal of the alliance despite the decision of his companions was extremely interesting for the Shade.

 _Some dissensions within the ranks?_ He thought. _This might turn out to be funnier than I originally expected._

 _What do you think you are doing youngling?_ Roared Prideful Snake. _We are talking about the rebirth of our race! Our return in this world to strike fear in the hearts and finally eat our fill every day! Even the priests of this city didn't offer that much to our ancestors! You are the strongest of us, and only days away from your transformation into a Lethrblaka! Would you rather do it in this cave that we barely left for more than twenty years or out in the wilderness, surrounded by the bodies of people you killed? Think wisely youngling! For your next words could be the last. You disappoint me so much! You are not worthy of your strength, of being one of us. Watch the floor next to me and tell me that you don't want to get revenge for what these people did to them!_

 _I_ do _want revenge._ He replied. _But I don't want to swear fealty to him and to fight next to that_ thing, he said coming in the light and pointing Mulzraug. Now that Mulzraug could see him he realized that the one who had spoken was indeed a giant compared to the other crazoracs, probably due to how close he was to his transformation into a Lethrblaka. He was not only taller than his companions but also much bulkier. Like the other crazoracs he had a sword on his hip, to which he had added two daggers.

Upon hearing the words of the young Ra'zac, Prideful Snake made a sound that was halfway between a roar and a hiss. _I think I'll call it a riss_ thought Mulzraug, laughing internally.

 _And_ how _do you think we will have our revenge without him, you idiot? One Rider that was not even fully trained managed to kill the four last of us!_

Prideful Snake rissed once again and turned his head towards his son:

 _My son,_ he said, _I have a proposition for this Shade, translate it…_

* * *

"So if I understand everything perfectly, you want me to fight your companion to decide what you will do?"

"Exactly, Shade. It is a fight to death. If you win, we will pledge ourssselves to you as we promisssed. But if you die we will follow him and our revenge will ssstart on the people of thisss city, sssince you own it. Do you agree to these termsss?"

" 'Course I do. Shall we begin?" replied Mulzraug. The Ra'Zac did not reply but instead he turned his head towards the giant crazorac.

"Do you agree to these termsss?"

"I couldn't agree more" he hissed, unsheathing his sword and placing himself in front of the Shade who also had his bone white sword out of its sheath.

"Oh, just a little thing before we start, youngling." said Mulzraug. "Aim for the heart, it will be much easier." He winked and then took a fighting stance.

The Shade could have ended this fight within seconds but he wanted to have fun. Besides, he had always liked to know the people he killed and analyzing the fighting style of someone had proved to be an extremely reliable way to know someone's personality. So he waited for the Ra'zac to attack first. He didn't have to wait for long as his opponent lunged straight for his shoulder. At the last moment, he changed the direction of his sword, aiming for his heart. Despite his inhuman speed, he wasn't fast enough to surprise Mulzraug who casually deflected the blow but didn't retaliate. It seemed that the ease with which the Shade had parried his blade had greatly unsettled and worried the Ra'zac. He didn't dare to attack once again, at least not immediately.

"Well, come on, child, we don't have all day! Attack! I'll get bored!" Taunted Mulzraug.

The taunt seemed to work pretty well. He was the strongest of all the Ra'zacs alive! How dare this stranger call him a child? The Ra'zac delivered a descending blow on Mulzraug's head that the Shade blocked easily. But this time he fought back. Trying to go easy and to be slower than usual, he attacked the left flank of the Ra'zac who parried with difficulty and retaliated with a sweeping movement in the legs of Mulzraug to try to send his opponent to the ground. The attack was swift and well executed, but once again, it never achieved its purpose. The Shade simply jumped above the blade and while in the air he aimed for the youngling's head. He partially managed to deflect the blow, but couldn't avoid a long gash on his face, starting on the jaw line of the creature and ending on his temple at the other side of the face. The Ra'zac hissed loudly and backed away slightly to regain his bearings.

"Tired already, youngling? Come on! We just began!"

This time the Ra'zac knew better than to attack blindly the Shade. Instead he remained in his fighting stance and began to walk around the fighting arena in order to find something that could help him in his fight, ignoring the infuriating taunts from the Shade. Finally, he found something that felt like a rock under his feet, solid enough so that he could propel himself on the Shade with more power and speed than before. Seeing that Mulzraug didn't seem to have the intention of attacking, the Ra'zac put his plan in action and aimed for the Shade's heart. Finally his attack seemed to have an effect on his opponent. The blade was deflected but not as easily as before and the Shade even seemed to struggle. The Ra'zac was pleased to see that even though his blade had been deflected, he had managed to touch the Shade's armor and leave a mark on it. Maybe he could win after all. Mulzraug looked with disdain his beautiful armor that had just been scratched and looked up to the creature facing him, the eyes full of contempt.

"Are you proud of you, you poor idiot?" he said. "Let me tell you something: Now I will end this fight because finally I-"

Unleashing his full power, Mulzraug kicked the Ra'zac's sword out of his hand with his own weapon and took it before the creature could even react.

"-know-"

With his two swords, the Shade landed a blow in the back of the youngling thighs. The creature shrieked and landed on his knees.

"-you."

With the two swords, Mulzraug decapitated what once was the proudest and strongest representative of the Ra'zacs in this world. Then, turning to look at the other Ra'zacs, he said:

"So, shall we begin with the fealty oaths?"

The insect-like creatures eyed him wearily, and one of the crazoracs looked up to Prideful Snake, the latter who answered the silent question of the youngling by a series of clicking noises.

"We will pronounccce them. But how will our parentsss do? They cannot produce the soundsss of the humanoid languagesss."

"That is of no concern, my friend. You will speak for your parents, as the wording of the vow will make it act as if it was them who pronounced it."

* * *

The Ra'zacs had difficulty repeating the oath in the ancient language, but finally they managed to do it. Then remembering something that Prideful Snake had shown to the crazorac who was lying dead on the floor of the cave, he walked towards the wall where were the chains and shackles and saw two eggs, which seemed to be at least two or three decades old. The eggs were destroyed and inside he could see two unrecognizable shapes, burnt to the bone. Mulzraug shot a questioning look to one of the crazoracs, who said.

"Our parentsss told usss that according to the last priessstsss of the city, thisss room isss where the two Shadeslayersss Eragon and Arya were kept prisonersss. When they escaped with the help of a witch and her cat, they ssslaughtered two Ra'zac hatchlingsss, burning them in their shell."

"Shadeslayers, uh? I can't wait to meet them. Why do you keep the eggs like this? Why don't you bury them or something?"

"We don't have particular funerary cussstomsss, Shade." He replied. "Besssidesss, we keep them here ssso that we sssee them every day and remember that we live to have revenge on thossse who did thisss."

"Good! You will be powerful allies with such a motivation." The Shade smiled.

"Well, this meeting was pleasant but I have other matters to attend to." Mulzraug said. "When I have a mission for you I'll come here to tell you, except if you want to move to the Castle, then you'll just have to send me a message"

"How will we do that, Shade? Aren't we supposssed to remain hidden for your sssecret operationsss?"

"Yes, and you'll stay this way, don't worry. You'll just leave intact the hands and feet of your next meal and I'll know that you want to speak to me. Oh and one last thing before I take my leave: I just wanted to tell you, Prideful Snake, that I am the third kind of Shade." He said, winking.

When Mulzraug saw the look of stupor on the faces of the Ra'zacs, he couldn't help it, he laughed with his cold and maniacal laugh, before he left the room and headed for the door that lead him out of the tunnels.

 **And please, don't forget to review, they keep me going ;) yesterday I was reading once again the reviews I have for now, and I just wanted to start writing immediately, even though it was 2am XD**


	13. Chapter 12: Illirea

**Don't forget to review, that's very important to me!**

 **PS: Sorry for the delay, I didn't have internet for a whole week -' the next chapter should be out on Sunday, 25th September, the day I turn 17 ^^**

 **Merci à vous et bonne lecture !**

Chapter 12: Illirea

The sun had barely risen above the habitations when Eragon woke up. He was surprised to feel a warm body pressed against his chest and it took him a few moments to remember that this body belonged to Arya. Indeed, since this magical night in Ellesméra, when they ended up in the same bed in the fire of the action, they had not slept together again. They both needed time to think on what had really happened to them, as their new situation had been sudden, and they wanted to keep their relationship secret a little longer. If that morning they were back in the same couch, it was because now the fact that they were together was known in approximately all of the northern part of Alagaësia, the southern part being the Surda and its conquered cities. The secret had become a common knowledge because when they were still in Gil'ead, Roran surprised them kissing in Eragon's house, where they thought no one would see them. He promised that he wouldn't tell it to anyone, except maybe to Katrina. When Roran's wife heard of the news, she promised that should would tell this to no one except maybe to Ismira who had always revered her uncle and knew all of his adventures, including the ones with Arya. When the young woman heard that his uncle had finally found happiness with the elf of his dreams, her joy was so intense that she couldn't prevent herself from telling this to two or three of her friends, no more, these friends promising that they wouldn't speak of it to anyone. By the end of the week, the news had reached the ears of Dathëdr who felt compelled to congratulate the couple for finally coming to their senses. After an awkward talk during which Eragon and Arya's only thought was "How in hell did he find out?" they had finally agreed that there was no point in hiding anymore. But they didn't really talk about sleeping together. Arya had just shown him that she wanted to be with him in her own way. Eragon would always remember that night, the day before.

He was sleeping peacefully, his mind open to his surroundings, just englobing his room so that the constant flow of thoughts wouldn't prevent him from resting. Suddenly, he felt a bright mind entering the room. The being was absolutely silent, and when Eragon felt that it meant him no harm, he chose to let it enter in his room without moving. He felt the newcomer putting its knee on the bed and coming towards him, slowly, softly, barely weighing something on the soft mattress of his bed. Then, he felt and saw a curtain of black hair on his face and before his eyes. When he thought that the being had been suddenly frozen in place, he felt delicate lips kissing his cheek, and a scent of crushed pine needles reached his nose. He smiled in his sleep, and his smile widened when the elf of his dreams snuggled against him, falling in a deep sleep next to him.

"Arya" he whispered. Probably the best night he ever had, just behind this other night in Ellesméra.

And now, he was waking up with her by his side… He had never seen Arya sleep this peacefully before, in fact he had never seen her sleep as she had always used to be the one that woke up before him. He liked the change. But unfortunately they had an important meeting with Jormundur to attend to, and they would have to get up now if they didn't want to be late. He put his hand on Arya's shoulder and shook her slightly in order to avoid startling her. Her reaction was not quite the one he expected. When his hand touched her, she jumped from the bed under the surprised look of Eragon and landed in her fighting stance towards the thing that had touched her. When she realized what it was, she was almost squirming and Eragon couldn't help but laugh at the face she made. Arya herself wasn't able to remain serious given the ridiculousness of the situation. When their mirth abated slightly, Arya managed to say between two fits of laughter:

"Sorry Eragon I didn't mean to react so abruptly to your touch! It's just that it's only the second time that I sleep in the same bed than someone and I'm not really used to it!"

"Obviously!" laughed Eragon.

"So, tell me, why did you wake me so softly that I thought that someone was attacking me?" She teased.

"Ah…uh…well… Sorry to interrupt so early your good mood, but we have to attend to the war council in the throne room with Jormundur, Martland, Roran and the Riders."

"Oh, right… Well, let's change ourselves quickly, this way we can be there as soon as possible."

"Right, let's do that."

When Arya started to remove her night gown to change her clothes, Eragon turned away to give her some privacy. When she saw that, it was her turn to laugh at him.

"You're so cute when you do that." She said. "But you know we are together now, and even proper mates since Ellesméra, you don't have to turn away anymore." Eragon blushed furiously and when he turned away he could see that so did Arya.

"Are you sure?" he answered, trying not to sound too overjoyed. He failed miserably.

"I am, but don't react like an eight year-old boy who has just been given a gift, or I might change my mind." She said, winking at him. "Well, come on, change your clothes, it wouldn't be fair if you were the only one to enjoy the perspectives given by our new situation!" Eragon laughed at her jest.

"You seem to be quite in a cheerful mood today." He observed.

"Why shouldn't I?" replied Arya. "I have found someone to love and to rely on, we don't have to hide anymore, and overall I have the feeling that this day will be wonderful!" She giggled and leaned over the bed to kiss Eragon, who returned the kiss passionately. Maybe too much given the fact that he hadn't totally finished to put his pants on. When he leaned over the bed, he lost his balance and fell on the bed, under the hysterical but beautiful laugh of Arya. Eragon sighed dejectedly and grumbled:

"A good day, you said?"

Feeling pity for the poor Lead Rider lying in front of her, she helped him to finish to put his pants on and gave him her hand for him to stand up. When finally they were both completely dressed and standing on their feet, they started their walk towards the throne room, where the war council would be held.

* * *

When they arrived, only Jormundur and Roran were there, Roran in a mirror and Jormundur on the throne, as Nasuada's temporary replacement. When Jormundur saw them, he dipped his crowned head as a sign of acknowledgement, and Roran offered them a huge grin as he understood that they had slept together, to which Eragon answered by shaking his head, smiling.

"Eragon, Arya." Said Jormundur.

"King Jormundur" they replied. "When do you think the other attendants to this council will arrive?" asked Eragon.

"Martland should be here as soon as his old age allows him, and the time when your Riders arrive depends on how well you educated them."

"Master Eragon is the best teacher we could have had. You don't need to question the way he educated us." Replied a feminine voice coming from the entrance of the room. Dellienà was standing there with Meclanor and Murtagh, followed by their dragons, Evraya, Ghastamb and Thorn.

"Well I will question it! Refusing to let an old man access a room by blocking the door with enormous fire-breathing creatures is scandalous!" Said another voice coming from between the dragons. When the dragons had moved away enough so that the man could enter the throne room, Eragon barely recognized Martland Redbeard in this old grey and grumpy man –even though he had always known Martland as a grumpy man-. He was now more than seventy year-old and useless on a battlefield, but his intelligence and the vivacity of his mind had allowed him to become Nasuada's then Jormundur's best general next to Roran.

"Despite what General Redbeard may say, I do not question the way Eragon Shadeslayer educated you, elf Rider. Now, I see five Riders with their dragons, but I had heard by Roran that you were eight! Where are the three others?"

"Well, as you surely know, one of our Riders is currently being healed in Ellesméra after having been poisoned in Teirm, and we don't know yet when he will be able to fight again. The two other Riders, Anakghfusgha the Urgal and Hrethafgor the Dwarf are currently near Lake Fläm, in a trip that will serve to tighten the diplomatic ties between their race and the Riders, and to organize the armies of the Urgralgra for the coming battles. At first, I was supposed to go there myself but the sieges of Belatona and Dras-Leona convinced me to do otherwise since I needed to lead the Rider forces from here, were would take place the next battle. I had warned Garzvhog that I wouldn't visit them but Ana volunteered to do it in my stead. She was supposed to go there alone, but Hrethafgor wanted to follow her to discover the Urgralgra customs, and to ease the tensions that exist between the two species. Since the Riders that were in Dras-Leona were already back in Illirea, I agreed. That's why we are ten instead of sixteen Riders and dragons."

"You know that it is dangerous to let go of more than a quarter of your forces when a battle could take place anytime soon, right?" answered Jormundur.

"I know, but it is less dangerous than counting on an ally that may never come. By sending Riders to the Urgals, I can make sure that they will come to help us unharmed, even if they encounter difficulties on the way to Illirea."

"Well, if the Lead Rider knows what he is doing I don't know what's the point in arguing with him, so let's begin the real war council, Jormundur!" intervened Martland. "We are completely blind out of Illirea and this is what really worries me!"

"Sorry?" Said Roran. "I had not been warned of this. What does that mean, My King?"

"What Martland means is that we lost all of our spies from here to Dras-Leona, Belatona, and we don't have anyone alive in Surda." Replied Jormundur with a sigh. "For all we know, the King of Surda could be starting his march towards Illirea and we wouldn't know of it until it is too late."

"And when did you plan to share this information with us, Jormundur?" asked Eragon angrily. "Did you at least have the intention of informing us of this situation?"

"Of course I was planning to tell you, Lord Rider, that's partly why I summoned this war council of the human and Rider armies! Do you think that I would withhold such vital information while we can be attacked at any moment?"

"No, I just say that you should have told us about this much sooner! We would have been able to help!"

"And how so, Lead Rider?" replied Martland, sneering. "By sending your Riders as spies in the conquered cities? I don't think that they would go unnoticed, let alone their dragons. If Jormundur chose not to tell you about this, it is because he knew that you couldn't do anything about it. Don't consider the King as a fool unable to know what is good for his kingdom!"

 _And don't consider my Rider as a boy who needs to be taught life, Martland!_ answered Saphira, rather harshly. _If we say that we can help, it is because we actually can help! Maybe you haven't noticed yet, but dragons can fly and thanks to that special ability, we are able to spot the enemy long before its attack, and long before your two-leg sentinels that are stuck to the ground! What Eragon was about to say before your stupid intervention was that we will put in place a system of flying sentinels during the whole night and day, this way we can compensate our lack of scouts and spies._

"Thank you Saphira." Said Eragon. His face showed nothing, but he was internally laughing after Saphira's intervention that had quieted Martland, the latter who was now grumbling in his grey beard. "We are five Riders, meaning that each one of us can take turns of approximately five hours so that there is someone in the air at any time. Since the elves and I need less sleep than Murtagh and Meclanor, I propose that you two take the first turns then we will take the hours of the night."

 _Eragon,_ said Arya in his mind. _You realize what this means?_

 _We won't be able to have a night together before long, I know,_ he replied, and Arya could feel his mood darken. _But this is the best choice I can make, there is no other way. And we still have the diurnal hours for us._

 _That's true… Dellienà and Meclanor won't even have this chance._

 _Sorry?_

 _Oh, nothing, I was thinking out loud in my mind._

Eragon didn't reply but watched with a confused look Meclanor and Dellienà. He had always known that they were friends, he was in fact her only real friend, but they didn't seem closer than that. And Dellienà seemed to be more attached to her twin brother than to her fellow Rider.

 _Bah, she must be imagining things…_ he thought, and focused back on the meeting.

"Well, now that everything is settled, let's move on to the other points of this meeting." Said Jormundur.

* * *

Three hours of uninteresting logistical discussions later, the council was finally over. Still confused about what Arya had suggested sooner, Eragon looked again at Meclanor and Dellienà, walking out the room side by side. Meclanor was talking quietly about something to his elven friend and she nodded with a smile. Then, they noticed their Master's eyes set upon them.

"Is there something wrong, Master?" asked Dellienà.

"No, nothing wrong." He assured, turning his head to look in front of him, confused.

What if Arya was right? What would that mean about his abilities at taking care of people if she could see in an month something that he had been blind to for ten years?

"What is bothering you, Eragon?" asked Arya, walking next to him. "You seem to be confused about something."

"This is about what you said about Dellienà and Meclanor. I trained them during more than a decade and I was unable to perceive what you saw in barely a month. How can I be a good teacher if I am that blind to the life of my students? They could be in terrible pain that I wouldn't know it, I realize it now. And I am supposed to train the Riders for the centuries to come? I am not fit to do that, even though I convinced myself that I was a good teacher."

"Eragon. Dellienà herself said that you were the best teacher they could have dreamed of, you heard her like I did. And besides, you are Eragon Shadeslayer, Kingkiller, Lead Rider, the one who brought peace to this world. Something like teaching young Riders, with elves and hundreds of Eldunari to back you up shouldn't be much of a difficulty, don't you think? And, even though I said something about Dellienà and Meclanor, I am not sure of anything, I might be wrong and you didn't miss anything. It is just that their relationship reminds me of the friendship between another elven Rider and human Rider, and we both know how it ended." She said, smiling.

"She's right, you know?" Said a voice behind them. It came from a young woman with dark hair, a pure white skin and violet eyes, a star shining on her brow.

"Elva?" Exclaimed Eragon, surprised.

"Eragon." She greeted him by dipping her head from where she stood, her back resting on the wall.

 _Witch-child!_ Said Saphira. _You grew up quite a lot since we last meet!_

"Saphira!" replied Elva with a smile. "That's good to see you again. And you did grow up a lot too!"

"Anyway, thank you for thinking of me as a good teacher and a capable person despite what I did to you." Said Eragon, referring to what Elva had said just before.

Hearing this Elva laughed, and her laugh seemed less cynical than when he last saw her, it sounded truer, almost… happy.

"I wasn't speaking about that part of her speech, although I must agree that you made big progress since you tried to bless me, then to fix me after that." She said. "I was talking about the fact that Arya may be wrong about your two students. They are just friends… at least for now."

"Oh…" he grumbled then changed the subject. "Anyway, what are you doing here, aren't you supposed to guard Jormundur?"

"It was Nasuada that I used to guard. I am not bound to Jormundur since Nasuada's passing, and Arya before you yell at me about my duties to the crown and my Kingdom, I didn't completely give up my job, my skills are still put to use."

"Why do you speak of Nasuada as if she was dead?" asked Eragon. "You're right about the fact that she is between the hands of a Shade but there is still hope that we can get her back!"

"Nasuada _is_ dead, Eragon. Didn't Murtagh tell you that?"

"What? No! Why? How did this happen? What does Murtagh have to do with that?"

"He is the one who had to kill her." She said, and for the first time Eragon could see real sadness on her face. "It broke him, and now I can understand why he didn't come to tell you of it. Even the Riders that were with him in Dras-Leona don't seem to know about that fact."

"How did this happen, Elva?" asked Arya, seeming distraught. Nasuada had been a good friend of hers.

"I don't exactly know, when Murtagh left the room I only felt his terrible pain, and some elements of how it took place. Apparently she had been broken by the Surdans and had sworn fealty to their King. They had to fight and he managed to put her at his mercy, but for a reason that I do not know, she managed to escape against her own will and during their fight he killed her. What pains him the most is his guilt. He thinks that it could have happened otherwise, that he could have saved her and that he failed. He will never forgive himself for this."

"I should…" started Eragon.

"No, you shouldn't confront him about this, even to comfort him." She cut him. "And don't think about telling him that he should have used the Name to break her bonds. It would only make his state worse and he wouldn't be able to focus on the present conflict at all."

Eragon didn't even ask her how she knew about the Name. She could read in him and in anyone like in an open book. At the instant he thought that he saw Elva having a little satisfied smile despite the sadness of the moment.

"I understand." He said. Eragon didn't know what to say else. Nasuada had been one of his best friends back in the Rider War and he felt tears coming at his eyes when he finally realized that he would never be able to see her again. Anyway he tried to change the subject to lighter matters.

"You… have changed. You seem less cynical, more joyous, more…alive" he observed.

"That is because I am all that." she said, smiling. "By not having to save people at any time anywhere in the country my life is easier, more normal. Even though it was quite hard at first, even after you left, I got used to it. And now I am able to enjoy existence again, even though I still feel and foresee the pain that is and will be felt."

"And your body fits your age now." Observed Arya.

"If Eragon had said that I would have asked him if he liked what he saw." She teased. "I'm only joking of course." She added when she felt the surge of jealousy from Arya, hidden behind the emotionless mask that she had to set up hastily, and when she saw Eragon blush slightly. She felt Arya's pride struggling to prevent her jealousy from asking to Eragon to answer Elva's implicit question. The latter who smiled internally and decided to relieve the tension.

"Anyway, to answer you, Arya, it came a point in my life where I was able to live on my own and to support the complaints of suffering people. I didn't have to grow up anymore." She said.

"It sounds like something that Angela could say." Observed Eragon, smiling. "She taught you well."

"Well, in fact I quote her." She admitted. "She told it to me yesterday, when she came to see me for the first time in ages."

"She's here?" asked Eragon, both surprised and excited. If only one thing from Alagaëisa had missed him during his exile, besides Arya, it was his conversations with the herbalist. You never knew what would happen and what new strange idea she would come up with.

"Yes!" answered Elva. "She is…" she started, then stopped dead, her eyes widened in fear, and her face expressing a terrible pain.

"Elva?" asked Eragon, worried. "What's wrong?"

She slowly raised her eyes to meet his, and slowly opened her mouth to utter several words:

"Jormundur…" she said. "He… He is going to die… He is going to die tonight… And he won't be the only one."


	14. Chapter 13: Khaos Legions

**If some metalheads understood the reference in the title, I apologize, but I just had to do it ^^ Don't forget to review! That's extremely important because that's what keeps me going!**

 **Guest: I usually answer in PM but I can't do it with you so I'll answer you here. Extremely pertinent review for which I thank you, and I'll keep your advises in mind. Concerning Eragon's behavior, I came up with the same conclusion as you, and since two or three chapters I've been trying to fix this problem. Concerning Eragon's childish moments, if by childish you mean the scene with Arya in the last chapter, well I just wanted it to be that way, because even if in public Eragon became much more mature and reserved, in private anyone can have a good laugh, and despite all his changes, Eragon remains Eragon, with some carefree moments during which he just enjoys life and more particularly his life with Arya. So yeah, don't worry, no more OCish outburst from Eragon** **But that doesn't mean that he won't have the occasion to scream/cry/explode in the next chapters ;)**

 **Disclaimer: Of course I do not own Khaos Legions, Arch Enemy and their label do (well, I think, I'm not really sure, I didn't study law :p). And by the way it's always good to remind it, I don't own the Inheritance Cycle either.**

 **Merci à vous et bonne lecture!**

 **PS: This is a rewrite of the original chapter. After I got my computer back I reread it and I wasn't pleased with it, so I deleted the whole chapter and rewrote it (hence the delay in the upload)**

Chapter 13: Khaos Legions

"What do you know precisely, Elva?" asked Jormundur. "Who is going to try to kill me and when?"

They were back in the throne room, just after Elva's terrible revelation. All the participants of the war council were there, except Roran, but a magician was trying to scry him. The Riders had been called too, since Eragon would probably have to take measures at the end of the meeting.

"The thing that will attack you is not going to try, Jormundur, it will kill you and that's it. I felt that it would happen tonight, but I don't know what will attack you nor how it will happen. Either it is too long before the attack for me to perceive anything or the thing is shielded by magic. To my mind the second hypothesis is the most likely."

"The murderer is shielded like Nasuada's captors were, you mean?" asked Eragon.

"No, not like this. Those who kidnapped Nasuada had prevented me from knowing what would happen, and they had produced their magical shield themselves. This time the thing is shielded by someone else, and not in the same way. I know that this will happen, but I can't know how, where, and barely when."

"How can you know so many things about the shield and yet remain ignorant to what is going to attack Jormundur?" asked Dellienà rather harshly. "And how do you expect us to defend the King with such a lack of information?"

"For this kind of knowledge you should ask to your Master, Rider, he is the one who bestowed this curse upon me. I have no idea of how I know that. I just do. And if you have a problem with that then I'm sorry for you."

"How dare you speak of Master Eragon like that? You don't…"

"Peace, Dellienà." Interrupted Eragon. "Elva is right and besides you had no reason to attack her in the first place. You would do well to remain diplomatic if you hope to become a great Rider." He could see that the young elf was fuming. Even though Dellienà was young and not the merriest of the companions, she wasn't usually one to lose her temper that fast. But since her brother had been attacked and was as good as dead, such outbursts had become more frequent. Sometimes the Master Rider worried about her, given that during a conflict of that scale this kind of tragic events were bound to happen again.

"Now, we still have to decide what to do." Said Eragon. "First of all I suggest that for the night we keep you in the throne room, where there are no windows and enough room for your guards to maneuver easily enough. Do you know if there is any secret passage leading here?"

"Not to my knowledge, Shadeslayer." Answered Jormundur. "I agree with you when you say that I must remain here for the night. I'll have twelve Nighthawks instead of eight to guard me, and I'll send Elva patrolling in the corridors with six other Nighthawks. She may be able to stop the attack before it even happens. Do you plan to take any dispositions concerning your Riders?"

"Aye. The three Elder Riders, meaning Murtagh, Arya and I will watch the city from the skies on our dragons, so as to spot any threat coming towards the citadel. To help us with the streets I'll ask the elven warriors that I bought with me to scan the minds of the people in the city to look for any potential danger. Dellienà, I want you be part of the group that will be patrolling in the citadel, with Elva. I expect you to get along with her. Meclanor, you will remain here to guard the King."

"As you wish, Master." Answered the human Rider. "But if I may ask, what about our dragons? They can't be with us when we accomplish our tasks."

"Precisely." Replied Eragon, with a small smile. "You will learn to work alone, separated from your dragon. While you and Dellienà are to protect the King in the castle, Ghastamb and Evraya will roam the skies with us to look for danger. This way you will work better as a team."

Eragon could clearly see that Meclanor wasn't thrilled at the idea of being separated from his dragon especially given the circumstances, but he said nothing and just nodded to show his acceptance of Eragon's orders.

"Now that everything is settled, do you know if Jormundur's fate has changed, witch child?" asked Martland. "Will he still die tonight?"

"I… don't know." She simply said. "The outcome of tonight's events depend on so many factors that everything is blurry, I can't know for sure what is to happen."

"Well, at least there has been progress made!" Said Jormundur, trying to sound optimistic. But it didn't manage to raise the mood in the throne room. In the corner of the chamber, Roran finally appeared, and the mage that was scrying him was explaining the situation to the war chief. When he was done, Roran raised his voice to ask the question that everyone had in mind unconsciously, refusing to think about its possibility.

"If in spite all our efforts, Jormundur was to be murdered, who would take the crown to lead the Kingdom during the war?"

Silence fell in the room, and during several seconds, no one made the slightest sound or move. Eventually, Jormundur straightened in his throne, sighed, and said:

"If I were to die tonight, well, if I were to die during this war, I would name you, Roran Stronghammer as my second in command. You would take the crown. And Martland would be ruling the Kingdom during the time you take to come here, in Illirea, to sit on the throne. Is this agreeable to you?"

"It is, My King." Answered Roran, bowing. "If we ever have to face such dire circumstances, I will do everything to lead our Kingdom in these troubled times."

"Good. Now I suggest we take a break. The morning was tiresome and the rest of the day will be even more."

* * *

While leaving the throne room with Arya and his students, Eragon remembered something Elva had said earlier.

"Elva," he said, "you told me that Angela is here in Illirea, right? Where can I find her, it has been a long time since I last saw her and I would be glad to speak with her again."

"Usually I find people, not the other way round, Shadeslayer!" he heard someone say excitedly behind him. Eragon looked to where the voice was coming from to find a tiny woman with brown curls, accompanied by a huge cat.

"Angela! Solembum!" he said, smiling. "I'm glad to see you again, it's been ages!" He heard his students and Elva excusing themselves, leaving him and Arya alone with the witch.

"Indeed it has been, Shadeslayer, my favorite blockhead! Well, I should say Shadeslayers since I didn't see you much in twenty years, Arya! Well, it doesn't matter. Would you like to have a tea in my room, in memory of the good old days? I've found some herbs that smell delicious and that I've never used, I'd be delighted if you were the first ones to try them out."

Eragon and Arya looked at each other warily but chose to follow Angela to her room nonetheless. When they entered in the closed space, they were assaulted by all kinds of odors, some pleasant and others not that much. In a corner was a fluorescent preparation bubbling peacefully in a cauldron, and the room was invaded by an astounding diversity of plants and herbs. Despite the fact that the room was bigger on the inside that it seemed to be on the outside, something that Eragon found weird, there was barely enough room for a bed, four chairs, and a little kitchen where Angela was currently making tea. When the beverage was ready, she took the biggest chair and gave a cup of tea to Arya and Eragon. Watching them intently with a smile on her lips, she finally said:

"So, Eragon, you are back in Alagaësia, even if I predicted that you would never come back. How do you explain such a thing? I have an idea myself but I want to hear it from your point of view."

The question took Eragon aback. Nevertheless he managed to answer, as it was a question that had occupied his mind a lot lately.

"You told me that I would never come back." He said. "You never told me when such a thing would happen." At this Angela smiled, but said nothing, waiting for Eragon to develop. "Your prophecy just means that it will come a day when I leave Alagaësia for good, until I'm dead. I will die out of Alagaësia but before it happens I can come back when I want because that's not what your prophecy was about."

By the end of Eragon's speech Angela's smile had become wider, and she said:

"It is good to see that time gave you a little spirit. Your conclusion is exactly mine, Eragon. And I'm never wrong. Talking about this, there is something else on which I wasn't wrong if I believe the rumors." She said, her eyes alternating between Eragon and Arya and giving them a knowing smile.

"Indeed, you were right about this too." Conceded Eragon, putting his hand on Arya's, glad to feel that she didn't stiffen under his touch anymore. Angela chuckled and from a bag that Eragon hadn't seen before she took a book and a pen and started writing. Seeing the interrogative looks from Eragon and Arya, Angela explained:

"These are little mind games I use to relax."

"No more knitting?" asked Eragon.

"I've discovered that mathematics done just for the pleasure of playing with numbers are extremely relaxing. Besides, times change, so must my hobbies, could you imagine me knitting for the rest of my life? That would be terribly boring!"

"So you're suggesting that knitting is not a hobby for this time? How am I going to get my rabid rabbits warded pullover, now?"

"I could teach you knitting, you know? I'm sure you'd enjoy it."

"Can you really imagine me, Eragon Kingkiller, Shadeslayer, Lead Rider, knitting?"

"Oh, that would be a sight to behold, the world's greatest warrior, knitting."

"I could knit something for you, Arya, like a new jacket, what do you think? Would you like to see me knitting something for you?" He asked. In the meantime he had his mind in hers and he felt that she wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or to roll her eyes at her mate's and the witch's antics.

"That would be wonderful to see my dear Rider knitting something for me." She replied, smiling.

"A philosopher once said: _If you are able to keep going a conversation about knitting over more than two sentences then you are in the presence of one of the most brilliant minds that ever roamed this land._ Congratulations Eragon and Arya." Jested Angela.

"Who is this philosopher?" asked Eragon, guessing the answer.

"It's me." Answered Angela, confirming Eragon's assumption.

The witch looked back at her mind games, frowned and looked at the couple again.

"Instead of playing the fool, could you help me here?" She asked. "I can't remember the limit of Riemann's zeta function and I need it to finish this question."

"Sorry?" asked Eragon. He didn't understand what Angela was talking about.

"The what?" Said Arya, taken aback.

"You're useless" She said, shrugging. "What about you, Solembum?"

They didn't hear his answer but Angela rolled her eyes and the werecat meowed with satisfaction.

"Well it doesn't matter, I'll have to calculate it." She said, and then fell into the deepest silence, not acknowledging them and writing as fast as she could. Eragon and Arya tried to talk to her but the witch was so absorbed in her calculations that she didn't answer.

"Well, it doesn't matter Eragon, we'll come back later." Said Arya finally. "We have a lot of things to do this afternoon and we have yet to eat, I'm starving."

They took their leave, Angela still not looking at them and walked out of the room. They were chatting in the corridor leading to the dining room when they heard Angela exclaim:

"I found it! The limit is one! Eragon? Arya? Where are you?"

They both chuckled and kept walking towards the place where they would be eating.

* * *

The night had begun long ago and yet nothing had happened. Riding on Saphira, Eragon was scanning with his eyes and his mind the city below him, keeping a close mental contact with all the Riders, Dragons and elves. He could see in the distance Fírnen and Thorn but it was too dark for him to perceive their Riders. Further south, where even his elven senses didn't allow him to see, he felt Ghastamb and Evraya roaming the skies, checking on their Rider every so often. Eragon quickly realized that their biggest enemy during this night wasn't the possible assaulter but the boredom, a boredom that would slowly give way to tiredness and negligence.

 _Have you seen or felt anything yet, Blödgharm?_ Asked Eragon.

 _Not yet Shadeslayer,_ replied the furry elf. _It is long past midnight and there has been no alarm of any kind during the night. Maybe Elva was wrong._

 _Even if I hope she was, I highly doubt it. If you don't mind I'll try to contact Dellienà and Meclanor, maybe they have found something._

 _As you wish, Shadeslayer, I'll keep you informed._

He first contacted Dellienà. Since their minds were already in contact it did not take much time to have her attention.

 _Yes Master?_ Enquired the young elf.

 _How is it going in the castle? Did you find anything?_

 _Nothing relevant, we just caught a cook stealing food but nothing else…_

 _Has Elva found anything or did her visions get clearer?_

 _No, everything is still "blurry", as she says._ Explained Dellienà. _But she proved to be a good asset in the mood of the group. She… She said just what I needed to hear about Meltienn. I should be pleased I suppose but I confess that this makes me feel uneasy. And I know that she knows what I just told you. It's… unnerving._

 _I understand how you feel. Knowing that I created her was even more terrible for me back in the Rider War. You'll get used to it don't worry. Besides, she's a lot friendlier than back in those days so you should grow to appreciate her. Well, I'll contact Meclanor, tell me if you find anything new._

 _There will be no need for that, Eragon,_ intervened Murtagh, _I was just talking to him. On their side too it is dead calm._

 _I'll guess this will be a very long night, then…_

Eragon fell silent and watched below him. He saw nothing but empty streets, and sometimes the silhouette of a drunkard or one of his elves.

 _Do you think that we missed something, or that Elva was wrong?_ Asked Eragon to Saphira.

 _I don't think so, Little One._ Replied the dragoness. _Her gift, or her curse, is too strong to be wrong. And if we had missed something, Jormundur would undoubtedly be dead by now. I think that we haven't waited long enough._

Now Eragon was starting to feel uneasy. Everything was far too calm to be natural. He deepened the connection existing between him and Arya and started the conversation, trying to avoid boredom and to soothe his apprehensions.

 _How are you going?_ He asked.

 _Getting just as bored and tired as you, I suppose. Although I also feel like something is wrong, even though I can't tell what. What I would just need right now is a good night of sleep,_ he felt her shield their minds to have a more private conversation, _with you._

Eragon smiled upon hearing the end of her sentence.

 _Of course,_ he said. _I wouldn't have it any other way._

He felt Arya chuckle too. They both fell into silence and started exchanging emotions, thoughts and feelings instead.

Suddenly, Eragon felt something peculiar happening with their mental link. It felt as if a part of it had been cut neatly. And he couldn't feel Mallaenia, one of the elven warriors that had accompanied him in Alagaësia, anymore.

 _Eragon!_ He heard Arya call out to him.

 _You felt it too?_ He asked. Sensing her approval, he sent a message to the Riders and the elves via their mental link:

 _Mallaenia has stopped responding. I'll fly to where we last felt her to see what happened. Fírnen, Thorn, Ghastamb and Evraya remain in the air but fly closer to the ground, Blödgharm, Yaela and Diaerné, run as fast as you can to the citadel, and contact Dellienà while I'm busy searching Mallaenia, she may have some news._

 _Come on, Saphira,_ said Eragon. _We have a mission and we won't fail it._

* * *

They didn't have to fly for long before they spotted the place where the elven warrior had last been felt. It was only three hundred feet away from the gate of the citadel, in a dark little street. Thanks to his elven sight, he managed to see before him the mass of a body lying on the ground. Dreading what he would discover, he turned the body towards him and discovered the pale face of a female elf.

 _Blödgharm, I've found Mallaenia, she is dead. Are you close to the citadel?_

 _What? How did she die that fast?_

 _I'll explain later when we have time, now please just focus on going to the citadel. How far of it are you?_

 _We're getting there Shadeslayer. We should be in the throne room in a few minutes._

Sighing, he looked at the elf in his arms. She had a dart planted in her neck, and that dart was probably poisoned, hence her quick death. Her wards had probably not been conceived against darts as they were extremely rare and Eragon himself hadn't thought about them when making his own wards. Looking around him for something that would explain why she had to die, he saw a trapdoor in the ground, and it was open. Cursing silently, Eragon decided do see where this hatch was leading.

 _Wait for me here Saphira,_ he said, _I don't know where this leads and it might just as well be a dead end._

 _As you wish, little one. Just be careful._

Eragon mentally nodded and entered in what seemed to be an underground tunnel.

"Naina hvitr un bollr!" He whispered, and a round white light appeared before him, enlightening the path before him. He quickly saw fresh footprints.

 _Someone was here just moments ago, probably Mallaenia's murderer, and yet I don't feel anyone. That doesn't make sense._

 _Maybe its mind is shielded like the Ra'zacs in Helgrind?_ Saphira suggested. _You couldn't feel them either, even though they were right in front of you._

 _Maybe,_ he recognized, _but what would that mean? I don't like it…_

 _Me neither,_ growled Saphira.

Eragon took a few steps in the tunnel and noticed that it had been dug ages ago. The structure seemed impossibly old.

 _How is it that this tunnel is not mentioned anywhere? Surely Jeod would have heard about it if it was built before Galbatorix, right?_

 _Maybe not. Illirea was already a very ancient city when Galbatorix took the power. There may have been secrets unknown even to him._

 _If it is the case then how did a simple assassin know about this secret passage?_

 _Of this I have no clue,_ admitted Saphira.

Eragon was about to walk further into the tunnel when suddenly he received a mental call of a strength that made almost made him cower in pain.

 _HELP US! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!_

Eragon's heart tightened when he recognized Meclanor's voice. He quickly went back to surface and got onto Saphira.

 _Quick Saphira! We must go to help him!_ Then, he projected his thoughts toward Arya and Murtagh and said:

 _Go check on Martland. I have a very bad feeling about this._

When he arrived in the court of the citadel, Ghastamb was already there, destroying and burning everything that was unlucky enough to be too close to him.

 _Ghastamb!_ Shouted Eragon. _That's not how you will save your Rider! Now follow Saphira to where you can enter the citadel and help Meclanor!_

The dragon roared but complied and quickly both dragons flew towards one of the towers of the citadel while Eragon started running towards the throne room. He had to get there in time to save Jormundur.

After a long minute of running at a breakneck speed, he finally arrived at the gates of the throne room, only to find Blödgharm, Yaela and Diaerné, already opening the doors. The first thing they saw was darkness, and smoke. Yaela produced light with her hand, and they could finally see what had happened in the room. Jormundur was dead on his throne, an arrow embedded in his armoured chest, and on the ground lay thirteen fuming corpses, plus another one garbed in black. Coming closer to the bodies, Eragon realized that their skin had melted in several places, and some of the most mutilated soldiers were barely more than a fleshy puddle on the floor.

"Seithr Oil." He whispered, appalled.

He noticed that the arrow embedded in Jormundur's chest had a note tied to it. He delicately removed the arrow from Jormundur's breastplate, trying to avoid spilling blood everywhere, and read the short message written on the paper.

 _From the ashes of our brethren_

 _And ancestors,_

 _We rise like a phoenix, a godless entity._

 _We are His Khaos Legions!_

Eragon frowned, trying to understand the meaning of the message. Walking towards the fourteenth body, probably belonging to the assassin, he heard Yaela shout behind him:

"He's alive! Waise híll, Waise híll!"

Looking behind him, he realized that the elven mage was trying to wake Meclanor. His young student was still alive. That knowledge rose Eragon's mood a bit, but he knew that they had lost much more that night. He started again to walk towards the body of the assassin, but heard noise coming from the corridor. It was Dellienà's group and the dragons, accompanied by the elves. Upon seeing his Rider, Ghastamb became hysteric and Saphira had to pin him down so that he didn't kill anyone else. Elva was obviously mentally and physically strained, and knowing what she had felt just minutes ago Eragon wasn't surprised to see her vomit against the wall.

"NO!" That tearing plea came from Dellienà, when she saw the body of Meclanor being tended to by Yaela. Eragon was deeply sorry for his student. She had just lost her brother or and now seeing one of her fellow Rider and friend in the grasp of death could be enough to break anyone. Eragon knew that in the coming days, Eragon would have to take care of her particularly.

Finally, it was the turn of Arya and Murtagh to show up, and their faces were extremely grim.

"Martland is dead too." Said Murtagh. "Killed in his sleep, probably by the same assassin who accomplished his deed here just after having slit Redbeard's throat."

"Which means that we have no more leader in Illirea until Roran arrives." Observed Eragon. "Our foes have stricken us hard this night. Very hard."

"But who has been able to do it?" asked Arya, perplexed. "With all the surveillance that we had put around Jormundur!"

"I think I already have an idea." Answered Eragon.

Eragon walked towards the corpse of the assassin, followed by the two Elder Riders, and pulled its black hood, revealing the head of a Ra'zac.


End file.
